Writing, the Process & the Reality
I am occasionally asked about my writing process. Do I struggle with Writer’s Block, etc. What software do I use? I’m happy to share, but I want you to know that there’s no magic pill for being a writer. Basically, I’ve been a language aficionado since I was a toddler, and that’s no exaggeration. I had a sister who was 2.5 years older than me, and she loved to read, and like most younger siblings, I wanted to do everything she did. By the time we were in 2nd grade, we were both voracious readers, and I usually ended up reading everything she did.
At that age, I had no plans for writing — even through high-school. I just knew that I enjoyed reading, anything and everything I could get my hands on.
WHO IS A WRITER?
A writer can be anyone. I am a writer because I love language and great stories. Yes, I have a degree in English, but I had originally hoped to parlay that into a career as an attorney. When that didn’t work out, I became a technical writer in the days before there was a degree in the field. However, I am a firm believer that anyone can write! You may be a programmer, a pipe-fitter, or a plumber, but if you have a story to tell and you can face down the dreaded blank screen and defeat it, you too can be a writer. In fact, people who live diverse and interesting lives often make the best writers because they have the most unique and intriguing stories to share.
With all of the applications available to check your grammar and spelling these days, there is no excuse for not writing if that is your goal. Do not be intimidated by the term ‘Writer’. It is just a label for someone who may do a number of other things and still finds time to write! If you like the human touch, you can find a myriad of writers, editors, and proof-readers on LinkedIn or on a number of other platforms to lend a hand. Never think your idea isn’t good enough or your story isn’t original enough. Trust me, the writing and entertainment industries are always looking for new creators.
MY PERSONAL PROCESS
For me, I read, I write, I watch television and old movies, and somewhere along the line, I get inspired by a new conglomeration of the data I’ve been feeding my brain. For instance, Redneck Christmas originally came to me in a dream after watching a special by the Redneck Comedy team and hearing a sermon on the extreme youth, faith, and innocence of Mary, Mother of Jesus. The final product is a mashup of redneck comedy, The Gift of the Magi, and the biblical Nativity. Do I know how I came to that end? Not really, but I do know that you need to be feeding your mind a wide diet of interesting and varied media if you want it to create something new and special. Do not spend your day sitting in front of a video game screen. Even watching videos on YouTube or TikTok can lead to a new concept for a writer. Get out and interact with your fellow humans! That’s even better!
Because I typically wait for an idea that really resonates with me, I never struggle with writer’s block. My problem is usually the opposite – I struggle to type as fast as the characters in my head are speaking. When I was working on the Redneck Country trilogy, I got to know the characters in the series so well that I heard them in my dreams. They often worked out entire scenes while I slept, and then I would get up in the morning (or sometimes during the night) and write down everything they had said.
When I wrote the stage play Simon Says, a comedy based on the life of the immortal Neil Simon, I had read a number of Simon’s early plays while on vacation in South Florida. I had not brought a laptop or anything to write with. My plan was to relax and enjoy the week at the beach with my children. The story came to me the second night of the trip, and with nothing to write with, I kept sifting and moving parts of the play around in my head until the day we got home. I then barricaded myself in my office for 8 hours straight, emerging only for potty breaks, and had the final draft of the play finished in that 8 hour span.
DO I WRITE EVERY DAY?
No. Many professional writers swear you must write every day in order to get anything worth having. Hemmingway was one such writer. He insisted on 10 pages a day so that by the end of the week he could have 10 pages worth keeping. Everyone has their own approach to writing, and I only say this to assure you that whatever works for you is what works. Do not force yourself to be Hemmingway. Even Hemmingway wasn’t happy being Hemmingway in the end. Find what works for you, and never feel bad if it’s been a day or a week or a month since you last wrote. One thing that is true of all writers – when the time comes to write, we cannot be kept from the keyboard. When the story is good and it comes easy and you can barely keep up, you will write, and it will be good. Just have faith in yourself and in the story you are telling!
