Writer's Journey by Francesco Rachello
What does it take to be a writer? Obviously it will take a love of literacy, the ability to tell a good story and an expressive mind. But how many of us have started down this path of being a writer to stop just a few chapters into that epic first book. Even worse, you might be thinking “I will get back to it when I sort out what to write next”. Many good stories are laying on shelves right now covering dust as long forgotten projects. So if you are thinking about writing a book, I have some life experience from a guest author to share -
Early in our married life I confided to Mary Patricia (my wife) that one day in the future, I wanted to be a writer. Years came and went and I never really had either the time or the burning passion to write. Then retirement came. My lovely wife said, well your time has come: become a writer!
Having had a career as a concert pianist, Mary Patricia gave me the best piece of advice: “Just like a concert pianist, a writer must practice. You remember how I used to practice five or six hours a day? Well-practice from now on. You must write every day.”
Who would read my stuff, I asked. “Start a blog,” was the answer I gave myself.
I did. But unsatisfied with just writing a blog, I also decided to start writing a novel. And soon enough I finished my long mystery entitled The Poison Pill.
So what is next? Okay, I followed with a deluge of essays and short stories.
In one site alone, my stories called “Mary Patricia and I” more than one hundred thousand readers have been entertained with my writing. This is something that really massages my ego. I love the fact that I have an audience. I love the e-mail I get. Even the stern criticism I get is welcome. Nothing can motivate a writer than the certainty that real people are reading your material and enjoying it.
A friend of mine who is about my age, told me that he wanted to start writing; that he had a million ideas and experiences just waiting to be penned. That was 4 years ago. To today he hasn’t written one single line. So I asked him,
“Why haven’t you written anything?”
“Well, I got ideas, but I don’t know where to start,” was his answer.
“Let me show you my formula,” I added.
And for the next two hours or so I shared with him, how it is that I am so prolific.
“Where do you get your ideas for your stories and articles from?” My stock answer is from my daily activities, which include really humdrum, mundane acts that everyone performs.
My first act in the morning is to make a fresh pot of coffee. As I do this chore I find myself thinking about a myriad things that have happened in the past, things that I will handle during the day, or things that I may contemplate doing in the future. This is an enjoyable task. Since no one is around to engage me in conversation or disrupt my thinking, I withdraw and walk freely around the many chambers of my mind.
While Socrates had demon that would talk to him and forbid him to do certain things, I also have my demons; but these little creatures instead of forbidding me prompt me to action.
It may seem weird to some people, but sometimes I hear whispers or see figures, shapes, forms, and profiles of beings that are begging for attention. Just this morning Bill Gates and Warren Buffet popped out of the blue -maybe, I am not so sure- and I was curious as to why these two characters would occupy my mind. Doing a little backtracking I realized that the previous night I had been reading a book of essays and letters by Seneca, the Stoic philosopher who was forced to commit suicide by the vicious Caligula.
The above mentioned trio then gave me the idea for an article on why some people pursue not happiness but wealth and power. While the coffee percolates, I take a little walk to Tal Bagels (my local deli) where I buy croissants, elephant ears, or any other coffee roll. When I return I have my breakfast, watch “Morning Joe” and read the newspapers. By the time I go to my computer, the 500-word article on Bill Gates, Warrant Buffet, and Seneca practically writes itself.
At noon I take a long walk from: 30 minutes west and 30 minutes east. This is a daily routine. During my meanderings I observe people, traffic, activities out on the street. I don’t make a deliberate effort to focus or try to remember anything. I simply observe.
When something catches my attention, I will record the incident or event in one of my three basic directories:
- Raw materials
- Work-in-process
- Finished goods
As my ideas take shape I move them from directory to directory. In the “Works-in-process” directory I keep some basic folders:
- Short stories
- Essays and articles
- Novels
- Accounting and business
My ‘Short stories’ folder contains numerous files with ideas for stories. For example: at the moment I have these files: Confessions: Tolstoy, Rousseau, and Augustine; the Weekend guest; Lies I Will Tell at my College Reunion; My Favorite Lovable Villains; Was Gregor Samsa a Vermin or a Republican? Was Xanthippe (Socrates’ wife) Rich? Etc.
“But why list them all when you can make your own list,” I told my friend.
“Wow! That’s organization. I’ve been so scattered,” he said, his eyes saddened.
So, within the next few minutes I finished telling him my secrets. “When I complete an article or story, I move the file to a different directory:-the ‘Finished Goods,’ folder.”
To be prolific a writer has to be well organized, for the distractions are many. Having outlined my directories and files doesn’t mean that they form a system. They work for me because I am also an accountant, and that is how accountants keep books.
And when one has to make hard choices about our precious time, guess what prevails? If you answer is: the activity that requires least effort-I will agree. Last night I had plans to put a good dent in my novel, but the World Series beckoned.
“How about them Yankees!” my friend exclaimed. “I really don’t have much discipline to stick to a daily schedule-but I now see I must,” he added.
“I’ll just share one more thought,” I said, “then we’ll leave it alone.”
And I proceeded to tell my friend about my favorite author Anthony Trollope: “Trollope wrote 47 novels, 16 other books among which we find travelogues and serious commentaries on Cesar and Cicero. Trollope discovered that ‘A small daily task, if it be really daily, will beat the labours of a spasmodic Hercules.’ And never did he deviate from his allotted daily writing. This quotation is taped on top of my computer to remind me to do my own small daily task, faithfully.”
“Incredible! I’ve read some of his novels. And they are huge volumes! This is really a revelation; I suppose writing something everyday will eventually grow into serious number of pages. I like that. “
“Trollope did all writing while holding a full time job at the post office.”
“Thanks for the tips. I got to run and write at least 200 words–right now!”
I wondered whether that was just a spasm or the beginning of a lifetime of writing?
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