No Secret

It is no secret that I am not a school teacher. In my family there have been many teachers: my mother, her mother, my wife, and my children. I, however, was not blessed with that skill. Teachers share their knowledge and experience in a way where others can learn. But you don’t have to be a traditional teacher to share your knowledge with others.

For instance, my artist friend Lana Beck, has created original works, painted murals and has written and illustrated books. She also conducts a painting class a few times a week where she helps others discover the beauty and pleasure of painting. Obviously, Lana is talented, and yet she does not keep it to herself – she shares it.

I have never felt comfortable in declaring that I have a talent or a skill. I was a fast sprinter when I was younger – but that’s about it.  I strive to be a writer, and yet I do not call myself one; I keep that title just beyond my reach. Everyday I work to better myself by writing or reading so that someday I will feel comfortable with the reference.

Once in a while someone will comment on something or other I have written and ask me a couple questions: where do I get my ideas, and how do I get them down on paper. One answer I like to give for the first question is to retell the answer Stephen King gave when asked a similar question. He said he gets his ideas from Utica, New York.  The obvious problem with retelling that story is that clearly I am not Stephen King (or even close), and on top of that I have never been to Utica. I work with who I am and what my experiences are. Namely, I grew up in Belle Plaine, and I live on an old farm in Sand Creek Township. Now I admit that’s a smart–alec way of answering the first question.

My point is, we all grew up somewhere, and we all live somewhere. Everyday there is a story that begs to be exploited, an idea that needs to be explicated, and a memory that wants to be explored. As any conscientious pedestrian knows, “Stop, Look, Listen and Think,” is a good way to approach a street. This catchy phrase, first developed in the UK to promote safety, also works well in approaching life. There is always something going on, even when there doesn’t seem to be. I keep a small notebook and pen with me at all times because you just never know.

The answer to the second question, the how, requires more discipline. I sit at my writing table in my bedroom and stare out the window, and then I stare at the blank computer screen (a blank sheet of paper works just as well). Eventually, I type a word or phrase, and then several more until a theme is developed and a pattern begins to take shape. The key is to hit the keys or put the pen to paper and do this on a regular basis.

There are hundreds of books that will tell you how to get started writing, the process to follow (there are many), and the form it should take. I have read about two dozen of them, as I searched for the secret or magic formula. I didn’t find it because it doesn’t exist. There is no right way, and the only wrong way is not to write. However, a writer needs to read regularly, if not religiously, to sharpen his or her style.

So, whether you are submitting an essay to your local paper for publication, keeping a journal, writing poetry, recording your memories so your grandchildren may read them someday, or writing a mystery, all you have to do is write. Right?

I probably can’t teach you how to write – but there is no secret to it.