Real Life Reflections

I attended a college graduation this past weekend - my son's. You may not think that's such a big deal , but as my daughter said, "just because everyone does it, that doesn't make it any less of an accomplishment." Nathan hated school growing up. I don't mean your typical every-kid-hates-school hate. I mean he HATED it. I truly, honestly despaired of him graduating from high school. Oh he wasn't lacking in the brains department. It was just a lack in motivation. He sailed through the classes that held his interest (that would be any music class he had), but if the subject bored him, forget it. We spent hours together inching our way painfully through history and English year after year every year. Even kindergarten was wretched; although history and English weren't on the palette. BUT Nathan had a dream. He wanted to be a sound engineer - not just the guy who runs the sound board. No, that wasn't enough. He wanted to be the engineer. The top dog. T

So you want to be a writer? Well sit down. Close the door. And write. This may sound terribly elementary, but if you want to be a writer, you have to write. Singers sing. Teachers teach. Musicians play their instruments; and writers write. There's so much to learn about the craft, the skill. There's so much to learn about marketing and networking, but those things are superfluous. Sure, you need them to get published; but they aren't the heart of it. Marketing isn't what moves you. Networking isn't the unquenchable flame that causes your soul to swell, that brings you to the point of bursting when your words have been imprisoned for too long. I'm preaching to myself here. My first book is about half written. I am filled with cacoethes for it to perfectly represent the story that lives in me. I must have characters that are engaging, easy to befriend (or hate), cheer on, laugh with, cry with, rejoice with. The plot has to be filled with suspense, humor, creativit