Re: Story

[Bob La Londe <none@none.com99>]

On 11/7/2022 11:08 AM, Bob La Londe wrote:
> Snipped all that...
>
> I honestly believe that good writing only requires a moderate
> intelligence, and some creativity.  The ability to see relationships.
> Not just boy girl, but between places things sights smells people
> feelings mores society culture... and you don't have to have a complete
> picture.  You can create your own.
>
> I think basic writing is a skill that can be learned.  Having a frame
> work (the skill) helps with everything else.  At first you stick to the
> rules.  Like in music where you practice your scales and learn to keep
> time, but changes in time and weird gangs of notes can show artistry.
> ie.  Learning when to break the rules.  I believe few musicians who show
> some artistry don't know the basic frame work of music.  Some have
> learned it by rote and some studied music, but they have the basic
> framework.  They know how to follow a beat, and that CDG is Rock & Roll.
>  Â Even if they don't know those notes are call CD&G.
>
> This applies to many things.  I had the opportunity to see the Picasso
> exhibit (in Las Vegas I think) some years ago.  It was interesting to me
> that he did realism or stylized realism in much of his early work.  He
> learned the skills and then went nuts with it.  Even if art is not your
> thing you should see the exhibit if you have the opportunity.
>
> Thank you for the compliment, and I do believe that I could become a
> commercial writer.  In the end I fear that if I tried to monetize my
> ability to write (such as it is) that it might take all the enjoyment
> out of it for me.  I already experienced that once to a limited degree
> in my experience with that nameless and now bankrupt outdoor magazine. I
> had to FORCE myself to write for a long time after that.
>
> I could certainly do formula work.  Anybody with basic writing skills
> could follow the formula and write a romance novel.  With only
> marginally more talent they could write an installment or two of a soap
> opera.  Perry Rhodan was a never ending science fiction soap opera.  I
> would hate it, although I admit I used some soap opera tricks in the
> story.  I would hate it.  Not the story.  I might enjoy it.  Mindless
> drivel is often entertaining.  I would hate writing it.
>
> In the end the desire and the drive may be more important than the
> skills or the talent. Ambition will get you the skills, and talent isn't
> all talent.  Some of it is drive and some of it is skill.  There is an
> old cliche along these lines,  "Success is 1 percent inspiration and 99%
> perspiration."Â  That is a hackneyed old saw, but its more true than many
> people believe.  You have to put in the work.
>


I suppose I should add that in retrospect I realize that may sound a bit
arrogant.  I am not comparing myself to Joe Satriana or Pablo Picasso.
I am saying they too put in the time and did the work to gain the skills
before becoming great in their field.  I am not saying everybody can
become great and truly unique in their desired field.  I am saying that
anybody who is not truly handicapped by debilitating acts of God or
nature can be a part of their chosen field if they put in the work and
learn the skills.  If they have the drive, put in the work, and are even
modestly intelligent they can be good at it. Drive can even overcome an
amazing degree of handicap.

Drive doesn't mean you have an inherent force of nature in your soul.
Drive means you get out of bed when you feel shitty and you make
yourself work just as hard as the days when you don't.  That when you
are stuck in a pile of shit you pick up a shovel and keep swinging.
When you are backed into a corner by thugs you don't shrivel up in a
corner and let them kill you.  You step in and keep swinging.  Drive
means no matter how overwhelming that pile of rocks in the road seems to
be you step in and keep swinging.  Admittedly this may not get you as
far as you want to go, but the whole world will be a little better place
in atleast a small way if you do what you can.  This may still not get
you where you want to be... you will be a little bit closer.



--
This email has been checked for viruses by AVG antivirus software.
www.avg.com