I enjoyed this tremendously, partly for ignoble reasons but never mind.
When I was quite young I was "going to be a writer someday." Everyone praised my command of written English. I did wonderfully in any classes requiring its use, and could pass essay-question exams by writing paragraphs that were beautifully expressed even if they had almost no actual information in them.
I skated on that "gonna be a writer" pond for years. I attended a poetry workshop weekend where a well-known poet praised my work, and I kept skating, warm in the glow of affirmation. All I really did was keep reading.
But worms were starting to eat that apple which had always nourished me well. There were the books I considered perfect, because every word felt right. But more and more I couldn't get through two pages without painfully noticing how often I felt the author had chosen words badly. I couldn't get past that to just enjoy the story. This was happening with some highly-renowned authors I'd grown up on and had revered all my reading life.
I'd always lived with the fear that I was an excellent critic but had nothing original to create myself. I was convinced I could never write dialogue. If I didn't have much to say, how could my characters?
Finally I got to the point where it was put up or shut up. If I thought I knew better than, say, Asimov on how to write a good story, I'd better stop somedaying about it and try.
Fortunately a very painful life event gave me the fuel of fury and the exquisite revenge of being able to do on virtual paper what really ought not to be done for real. Within not too long, in the scheme of things, my stories began to be accepted by webzines and some strangers, who had no obligation or need by courtesy to say nice things about my stuff, really liked them. I had become, in the early flowering of my not-entirely mature years, an author. Heady drug.
You are a very entertaining and enlightening writer. I look forward to your every post. While we're chatting, here, I thought I'd mention that both LeBron James and THE VIEW have settled for millions of dollars for Kyle Rittenhouse and Joy Reid has been served papers for HER multi-million dollar lawsuit. It is always nice to be able to share good news.
Sad to admit this; but I was deceived by a post on Gettr.com. Wishful thinking, I suppose. I despise those who promulgate Fake News and now I hate myself. I quit Gettr.com after learning the truth.
I was taken in by something quite silly a year or so ago. Problem is so many things that seem absurdly or dementedly untrue have been proven resoundingly true during our Plague Era that it's a fools' game to believe anything now without tracking down the source.
I began reading publicly-available Twitter feeds awhile ago, and I'd follow links to information to try to figure out who was trustworthy, or not, and it's fortunate I started that great way of spending a whole day at my darling little laptop and do nothing else, really, of apparently any use at all.
And now I recommend time-wasting to everyone. Because that's how I found these Substacks I read and comment on, and now here we are. I got one of my own, and only because Bill shamed me into it.
Life is a whole cascade of getting fooled again but there is some gold and veins of diamonds under the excrement but you need fortitude to reach it.
Off-topic (I suppose); but I recommend the new Van Morrison album to everyone I talk to or write to. It's disturbing to read all the hate-filled reviews that the WOKE have posted on Amazon.com. But Van hits the nail on the head with many of his new songs - even naming names.
I myself consider nothing off-topic these days (not that I ever did, really). Glad to know he's still around! All my hot faves been dropping, it feels, like flies. Too few left.
Writing is option number one. Option number two is climbing up onto a tall tower with a high-powered rifle. But I must say that I anxiously (not eagerly) await the hobnail boots to stomp in and shut down Substack. There is entirely too much independent thinking here.
I enjoyed this tremendously, partly for ignoble reasons but never mind.
When I was quite young I was "going to be a writer someday." Everyone praised my command of written English. I did wonderfully in any classes requiring its use, and could pass essay-question exams by writing paragraphs that were beautifully expressed even if they had almost no actual information in them.
I skated on that "gonna be a writer" pond for years. I attended a poetry workshop weekend where a well-known poet praised my work, and I kept skating, warm in the glow of affirmation. All I really did was keep reading.
But worms were starting to eat that apple which had always nourished me well. There were the books I considered perfect, because every word felt right. But more and more I couldn't get through two pages without painfully noticing how often I felt the author had chosen words badly. I couldn't get past that to just enjoy the story. This was happening with some highly-renowned authors I'd grown up on and had revered all my reading life.
I'd always lived with the fear that I was an excellent critic but had nothing original to create myself. I was convinced I could never write dialogue. If I didn't have much to say, how could my characters?
Finally I got to the point where it was put up or shut up. If I thought I knew better than, say, Asimov on how to write a good story, I'd better stop somedaying about it and try.
Fortunately a very painful life event gave me the fuel of fury and the exquisite revenge of being able to do on virtual paper what really ought not to be done for real. Within not too long, in the scheme of things, my stories began to be accepted by webzines and some strangers, who had no obligation or need by courtesy to say nice things about my stuff, really liked them. I had become, in the early flowering of my not-entirely mature years, an author. Heady drug.
Affirmation- heady indeed
Encouraging others is rare. Thank you.
You are a very entertaining and enlightening writer. I look forward to your every post. While we're chatting, here, I thought I'd mention that both LeBron James and THE VIEW have settled for millions of dollars for Kyle Rittenhouse and Joy Reid has been served papers for HER multi-million dollar lawsuit. It is always nice to be able to share good news.
One down, eighty million to go.
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
I tried reading your comment; I won't tell you what I thought it said since I wasn't wearing my glasses.
I guess it doesn't matter. I've learned that what I thought was true was not.
Poop.
This seems to not be true...
Sad to admit this; but I was deceived by a post on Gettr.com. Wishful thinking, I suppose. I despise those who promulgate Fake News and now I hate myself. I quit Gettr.com after learning the truth.
The Who - Won't Get Fooled Again - YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHhrZgojY1Q
It takes only one lie to lose me.
I was taken in by something quite silly a year or so ago. Problem is so many things that seem absurdly or dementedly untrue have been proven resoundingly true during our Plague Era that it's a fools' game to believe anything now without tracking down the source.
I began reading publicly-available Twitter feeds awhile ago, and I'd follow links to information to try to figure out who was trustworthy, or not, and it's fortunate I started that great way of spending a whole day at my darling little laptop and do nothing else, really, of apparently any use at all.
And now I recommend time-wasting to everyone. Because that's how I found these Substacks I read and comment on, and now here we are. I got one of my own, and only because Bill shamed me into it.
Life is a whole cascade of getting fooled again but there is some gold and veins of diamonds under the excrement but you need fortitude to reach it.
Off-topic (I suppose); but I recommend the new Van Morrison album to everyone I talk to or write to. It's disturbing to read all the hate-filled reviews that the WOKE have posted on Amazon.com. But Van hits the nail on the head with many of his new songs - even naming names.
I myself consider nothing off-topic these days (not that I ever did, really). Glad to know he's still around! All my hot faves been dropping, it feels, like flies. Too few left.
Willie Nelson is touring again and I just saw Bob Dylan in Chattanooga. Life goes on.
Medicine with Dr. Moran is my go-to youtube channel. He's dry but outstanding.
Bill, I love your posts man!
Look for an email tmr ok
Writing is option number one. Option number two is climbing up onto a tall tower with a high-powered rifle. But I must say that I anxiously (not eagerly) await the hobnail boots to stomp in and shut down Substack. There is entirely too much independent thinking here.
Can’t let the maggotry think they have rights, can we?
Great word, that...