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It is acknowledged that the technique of painting and of musical composition can only be acquired by assiduous labour, and the productions of dilettantes are rightly regarded with good-humoured or exasperated contempt. We all congratulate ourselves that the radio and the gramophone have driven from our drawing-rooms the amateur pianist and the amateur singer. The technique of writing is no less difficult than that of the other arts and yet, because he can read and write a letter, there is a notion that anyone can write well enough to write a book. Writing seems now the favourite relaxation of the human race. Whole families will take to it as in happier times they entered religious houses. Women will write novels to while away their pregnancies; bored noblemen, axed officers, retired civil servants, fly to the pen as one might fly to the bottle. There is an impression abroad that everyone has it in him to write a book; but if by this is implied a good book the impression is false. It is true that the amateur may sometimes produce a work of merit. By a lucky chance he may have a natural facility for writing well, he may have had experiences that are in themselves interesting, or he may have a charming or quaint personality that his very inexpertness helps him to get down on the printed page. But let him remember that the saying asserts only that everyone has it in him to write one book; it says nothing about a second. The amateur is wise not to try his luck again. His next book is pretty sure to be worthless.

~ W. Somerset Maugham The Summing Up 1938

Not exactly motivational quote for the first time writer, but an instructive bit of commentary for the would-be writer. The first book can be quite easy, just by the mere fact that one is unaware of mechanics. The second book is much harder.

This popped into my head on reading your comment, mainly the last sentence: “I am once again trying to find that balance of blissful ignorance and structured composition.”

I think that no matter how experienced the writer, one is always searching for this sense of blissful ignorance. Even Mr. Maugham.

Keep searching!

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@Scott Oh my, doesn’t that sound like me, but you have a great point, my friend. Something to focus on. 2010 it is!!!

@Dr. Mani Sometimes it’s also going back to something you did in the past. While I was working through this idea, I went back and rewrote my notes to the riskiest story I ever penned. I might share it here some day, but let me say that just the idea of the story got me fired up a bit. Thanks for dropping in. Hope you come back again!

@Alex You’re welcome! Glad to be of assistance!

@Joanna Aww, you picked one of my favorites there. I hope to be able to infuse that kind of energy into my writing again. There’s a deep purpose in an image like that. No one can say it lacks heart, can they? Well, the one guy clearly has a hole in his but you catch my meaning.

My guess is that there’s a dynamic that goes on between the risk-taking, raw, straight from the heart stuff… then learning more of the craft, the skill, the things you need to learn so that when you move into the next phase you bring them both together, and sock us between the eyes.

Something about your post reminded me of this, which has haunted me all weekend. Something to do with the wounds we carry in our hearts.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jamiegrove/3381428514/in/set-72157615829487088/

It’s all there Jamie, and come out it will.

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That’s taking a risk – for me.

For 14 years, I’ve written about business and heart defects – both areas in which I’m an “expert”. But like your thoughts about your writing, I began feeling that the spark of excitement and daring that infused what I did early on was dimming – even disappearing.

This ‘risk’ was to rekindle that fire of excitement, doing something different, trying something ‘new’.

So far, it has been exciting – and the sense of adventure has revived a lot of the other work I do too.

Thanks for sharing that experience, and for listening to mine

All success
Dr.Mani

I’m glad you got your $ worth. I have the same problem, writing stories that come to me with nothing to say. I sometimes try to find some aspect of human nature to write about only to discover the human nature part vanished.

I try writing stories starting with the theme, but that seldom works for me. It works better when I start with two opposing opinions and have the characters (directly or indirectly) argue them out, usually to a stalemate. One idea lays out too much of the path and story seems false. Two ideas give me somewhere to go. I have quite a few of those stories lying unfinished.

If you’re like me, you’re taking risks, they’re just the wrong risks. Maybe that gives us both someplace to focus.

Keep it up. Seattle, 2010. You and me.
-Oso

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