Learning2Write

With the advent of the Internet we are all writers, film makers, and rock stars. I don’t think any one in the world is reading my blog, so really, it may as well just be a journal on my computer. But the thought that people all over the world have access to it, and could possibly read it, thrills me.

If I knew anything about office software, typing, or punctuation this wouldn’t be so hard. But maybe it would, writing is not easy. I have been reading authors talk about the craft and they seem to say sometimes it comes easy and sometimes it’s hard and painful. When I used to read guitar player magazine songwriters would all say that the good songs wrote themselves. Norman Mailer seems to say the same thing. A good character takes on a life of his own. The author needs to sit back and let the character go where he may. I used to take that to mean I didn’t have to do much work, I could let the hero write the story for me. As long as he didn’t try to cash the check, that would be all right. Mailer let’s you know though, it’s hard, hard work. He compares learning to write to learning to play piano.
My heart sank when I read that, since I’m trying to learn piano as well.
I know I’m not alone in wanting to find an easier way to do things. I can’t escape the idea that there’s some writers software out there that will magically produce a book for me.
The screenwriters union may go on strike and my mind thinks this is a golden opportunity. It’s the kind of hair-brain scheme my mom always talks about. On the other hand, if it motivates me to write than more power to me. Motivation is, I think, the key to learning anything.
The biggest obstacle is the nagging self doubt. Nag, nag, nag, if you know what I mean.