Tuesday, March 4, 2008

"Time for a wee nip a courage" - Groundskeeper Willie

In his blog my favorite author, Christopher Moore (chrismoore.com), once quoted science fiction author Fredrick Pohl's advice to young writers:

"Have something to say."

Moore went on to say that this isn't as easy as it sounds.
I agreed...my next thought being: "What a shame for those poor aspiring writers out there who don't have anything to say. Poor bastards." thinking that the true gap for me between aspiring writer and actual writer was simply the laziness of not having gotten around to writing anything down. But it was all up here, just waiting to see the light of day, I figured.
"Yup...got MY message. It's..."
"Well, see it's...well it's complicated to put down cause..." Then I started to get defensive with myself.
NOT a good sign.
"I have something to say."
"I've GOT something to say, it's..."

I have NOTHING to say!

Oh sweet monkey Jesus, I have nothing to say.
"But what about my stories?" I asked my jittery self. I mean, I wrote pages and pages of an epic tale in college.
Just a few years ago I started on a good pulp novel, and got 50 pages into it without breaking out of chronology to write "the good parts" from books 4 and 5 (usually the kiss of death for me when I do that as it ensures I will never go back to finish, ya know, the rest).
What about that?
Yeah, see, here's the problem: I discussed it with my friend Ben from my Kung Fu class (himself an aspiring writer who has let me see some of his short stories--brilliant) and we came to the joint conclusion that there is a very important difference between being able to describe things and having something to say.

So that, in the husk of a cashew, is the effort of this blog: finding Something To Say.
Previously, I've been lazy and a little misguided, (yeah re-read that [edit] A LOT misguided), but I'd like to think that I have some ability with words, and that given some effort it might become something more than description. On a more realistic basis, if I truly want to try to be a writer I imagine that things like good feedback, exposure and the incentive to actually do it day in and day out might do me some good.

I have some fantasy genre fiction done that I'll post in chapters where I can, as well as some everyday observational writing. Additionally, I've found myself of late zoning out during business meetings. I have, however, developed a cunning plan wherein I take A note, perhaps as many as two, just enough to ask an insightful question at the beginning of the meeting, and then nod introspectively for the rest of it, during which time I try to write down whatever story is floating around in my head.
These usually take the form of shortish fiction set in the everyday world and centered around a craftily wrought alter ego of me that's about as subtle as the interrupting cow joke.

Don't you sneer. That joke is comic GOLD!

And that's it.
Things might be slow to start, so patience will be appreciated as much as feedback, but I have a good feeling about this and hope to hell it works.

"Onward!"

-QGJ

4 comments:

Natascha said...

Amazing - brilliant thought, Nikki!! Welcome!! I am hungry for your "something(s) to say" :). Whatever you choose to write will be worth reading because it comes from you :) :) :). So have faith, don't take it all too seriously, and have fun!!

Hal said...

More please.

Damian d'Entremont said...

Well written. Good...timing.

~Blair~ said...

Looks like you found it...