Last Updated on December 6, 2011 by James Dziezynski
A writer’s mind is never still.
I am constantly impressed by my friends and colleagues who are professional writers out of their 20s. Youth is the make-or-break time for most writers, the Little League of the literary world. Much like childhood sports, most everyone likes to participate to some degree until it becomes work or some superficial circumstance closes a door. I’ve always envied the focus, desire and commitment of professional athletes and I’ve also envied the relatively obvious road to success for those with an objective goal. The pro-athlete eats right, puts in gym time, studies their sport, shrugs off distractions and excels thanks to the notion of hard work. It’s something all great athletes have in common, from Bode Miller to Magic Johnson. The bulk of the challenge is behind the scenes.
It’s a bit trickier for writers since the road to success is more like an off-trail bushwack. When my writing has gone stale, I find that’s the best time to read authors who inspire and encourage me. Or I play darts for a while. Or dive into a video game. I’ve come to realize that hard work for writers comes in many different forms that have nothing to do with putting words down on paper. Lately, I’ve had a much better sense of the elements of hard work that go into writing.
It was a quote from Alex Lifeson (guitarist of the band Rush) that opened up a new way of thinking, a philosophy that is taking my writing to a new level. And while he meant it in the context of musicians, it works just as good for authors.
Great guitarists can both inspire and discourage. I began to look at their abilities as a gift, something to enjoy and absorb.
It’s a fairly advanced process to enjoy great writing without trying to emulate it or be intimidated by it. Thinking of it as a gift is wonderful because it puts into perspective the passion and purpose of one’s own writing. A little inspiration can go a long way.
