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On Writing
(6)Posted on May 6th, 2006Lyman ReedUncategorized
Earlier today, I was thinking about when I was 12 or 13 years old, reading a book of essays and short stories by Roald Dahl
, the author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
. I’d already decided I wanted to be a writer, and Dahl
One of the essays in the book was about the publishing process, and how a writer gets paid for his work. The idea that a person could write a book once, and get paid royalties again, and again, and again, on the sales of that one book fascinated me. You mean I would keep getting money in the mail? For something I had done just once?
But my youth got the better of me. I decided it would be “cooler†to be a musician. You got much more immediate attention for it. Then, because of a girl and a decision that it would be “smarter†to get started on a career before everyone else, I decided not to go to college and went to work as a manager of a Domino’s Pizza. Hey, I was 4 years ahead of everyone else! While my peers were busy doing that silly going to college thing, or working jobs with no future, I was going to be a millionaire franchise owner.
Actually, I was afraid. I was afraid to go to college… the application process was just too overwhelming; there wasn’t enough money to pay for it… and what if I failed? I was going to major in music, but had zero self confidence when it came to my ability.
I thought it would be much better to just not try, and to go to work in the fast food industry.
As you can probably guess, not the best decision I’ve ever made. The girl is gone (but I’ve got a better one), and that career is about twenty-five jobs back.
“Driven by a hundred forms of fear, self-delusion, self-seeking, and self-pity…†[Alcoholics Anonymous, pg. 62]
Maybe it’s time to go back to being that 13 year old boy who wanted to write books.
The beautiful thing is that it doesn’t have to be books. Articles, short stories, essays… they are all out there, and up in my head, for the creating. The written word still fascinates me; it’s the fear and laziness that get in my way. To tell the truth, I’m not very interested in fiction anymore. I haven’t been able to get through the first hundred pages of a novel in years.
So I don’t write fiction… or I do. The important thing now is that I write. Regularly. Seriously.
Like I’ve been doing today.
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6 Responses to “On Writing”
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Bravo! Keep writing!
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Wow, thanks!
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keep writing! I always wanted to be a poet. Blogging is an excellent way to write regularly and other people read, and enjoy reading, it too. wouldn’t the world be an amazing place if we all became what we dreamt of when we were 13?
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It would be, Anji… and I finally believe it can be.
Thanks for your encouragement.
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Hello Lyman
I came to your site through a comment you left on Joe Hauckes site.
I wanted you to know that I’ve enjoyed reading your posts here, you’ve got a refreshing honesty that is difficult to find.
Years ago I had someone explain to me that we are compelled to travel in the direction of our most dominant thought. If we truly believe that we are going to be a failure, then regardless of any wonderful things that may happen to us we will find a way to become one.
On the other hand, if we really truly believe that we will be happy and successful then we will have no choice but to head in that direction. It manifests itself dozens, hundreds of times during the course of every day. In the things we do, the things we say to ourselves, the decisions we make.
I know that this is an undeniable truth, I’ve proven it to myself by going down both roads. Stick with the writing, I would hate to see you ‘flash’ and then burn out before this gets a chance to take hold and start paying off for you. Blogs take time to develop, but it looks like you’re getting a loyal readership. It’s a start that will build over time.
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Thank you, David. I appreciate the kind words.
And you are right about the dominant thoughts… I’ve been down each of the roads myself. But even when I was on the “good” road, I’ve gotten to a point where something in my brain said “OK, that’s enough, time to turn around.”
Not going to happen this time. I’m on the road I want to be on, and I’m staying on it.
Thanks again.
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