Progress and Inspiration

(Note. I wrote this huge post, and I was very happy about it, but then the internet hiccuped and I lost it. Great. So I had to rewrite it. Ugh.)

So I find myself posting yet again about me stalling out and not writing. I haven't been disciplined. Instead I've just been lazy, and it's started to get to me. But thankfully, I've recently done a few things that have reinvigorated my desire to write, and to write regularly.

First, I went to the National Book Festival, and I was lucky enough to hear Brad Meltzer (@BradMeltzer on Twitter or www.bradmeltzer.com) speak. He was very charming, even though the majority in the audience were waiting to hear Suzanne Collins speak next. During the Q&A, he said that everyone is capable of writing a book--you just have to do it. He was presented with a book from an audience member--it was written by that person's wife, a couple years after hearing Brad give just such a talk. Brad said it was the first time he had ever got a book back from someone he told that too. He seemed genuinely excited about it. It was a great moment.

I then got in line for the signing. Brad talked to every person in line--not just chit chat, but a little conversation with each person. For me, we talked about Amy's Ice Cream (I was wearing a University of Texas tshirt), and how he was able to write a book while at law school (Before law school, Brad had actually written a novel, but no one bought it. While at Columbia Law School (and a member of the Columbia Law Review), he wrote what would become The Tenth Justice. Talk about disciplined.). He joked that his attendance was pretty bad while doing it, but still he got it done. Very impressive. Not only that, but it was rejected 24 times before finally selling it. Discipline and perseverance. Good lessons to learn.

Second, and the very next day, I went to a William Gibson (@GreatDismal on Twitter or http://www.williamgibsonbooks.com) signing. What impressed me the most during the Q&A was how seriously and deeply he thought about storytelling. It reminded me that writing is like the duck swimming: on the surface smooth and calm; while below the surface, it's anything but calm as the legs swim like mad. Gibson's books come off slick and cool, but it's only because he puts so much thought and effort into the work. It was good to see that work/payoff relationship. That he was famous for doing something that is hard and for doing it well.

Lastly, I went to see Chris Hardwick (@Nerdist on Twitter or www.nerdist.com) perform. So what if he's not a novelist. He can write some great jokes. You might know Chris from Web Soup on G4 (or Singled Out on MTV from way back when, among numerous other things). Chris killed it. His bits about Cracker Barrel and nerds were very funny. And his audience interaction was great too: making plans to go out for pie with the audience as well as responding sharply and hilariously to hecklers who doubted his mastery of pi.

A big part of why I'm a fan of Chris is the nerdist podcasts. He's got about 40 of them online now, and they're great--interviews with actors, comedians, singers, etc. Chris's favorite question is "what's your process?" The funny thing is that regardless of the guest's occupation, the answer boils down to "I just do it." Stop wondering how to do it, and just do it.

So that's where I am now. Excited about writing again. Realizing that waking up early sucks, but if that's the habit, having some quiet time to write and create is the payoff. Taking a little quiet time each morning when I'm still in that half asleep/half awake state to let my conscious and unconscious minds get together and be creative. It's a great reward. If only I could shut off that doubtful, criticizing "editor mind." But that's a story for a different post.

Oh, and if I post another one of these relapse stories, someone please come to my house and slap me around.