Jonathan Dodd‘s latest column. Guest opinion articles do not necessarily reflect the views of the publication. Ed
I’ve read a lot of articles and interviews, where all sorts of writers are asked unsurprisingly similar questions about where they get their ideas and where and how they like to do the writing itself, and I’ve always loved finding out how each writer goes about it.
The surprising thing for me about these otherwise trivial interviews is that every author has certain things in common, but the ways they find to overcome the obstacles varies enormously. They all have to resort to forcing themselves to write, even though it’s the thing they most want to be doing.
The terror of the blank screen
All authors seem to admit readily to the terror of the blank screen. There’s a moment when you’re sitting there with this empty space, which you’re supposed to fill with words, not just any old words, but with words that are beautiful and apt and wise and inspirational and original, words that nobody else could have written.
I don’t know where this impulse comes from, but it does. I suppose it’s similar to the painter or the athlete or mountaineer. The need to do it is there, and it can’t be ignored without rather awful life consequences. And like a raging addiction, it’ll never be satisfied.
Rolling the stone up the mountain every day
Nothing that’s produced will ever reach the giddy heights to which one aspires, and nobody will ever understand what you’ve written, and you’re doomed to be forever mortified by the inadequacies of your work, while at the same time insanely grateful that anyone actually decided to publish or even read any of it.
It sounds quite mad, a charge I will readily admit to. My weeks would be so much simpler and happier if I didn’t fret over these few hundred words so much of the time, at least that’s what I tell myself. But like Sisyphus rolling the stone up the mountain every day, it makes no difference. I rather imagine that he would have carried on doing it even if the gods hadn’t condemned him to it.
Comforting to find out that they suffer
So when I read about authors that I admire and also envy because of their success, it’s very comforting to find out that they suffer in the same way. I haven’t yet come across one who whistles happily while approaching the word processor every morning and effortlessly types reams of deathless prose.
Without exception they all have to force themselves every day to create those words. I’ve never understood this weird mix of terror and elation. All I can say about it is that it stays and makes itself at home in your head.
Know that you are actually alive
I’ve been working on another thing this week, compiling questions for a quiz. If you’re interested, it’s the Quiz and Chips at Ryde Library, and it’s this coming Friday (24th). I’ve done several of these before, and you’d think I would have got used to it. But the same old thing turns up every time in my head, and it’s just like the writing thing.
I don’t know why I put myself through these things. I think it’s ultimately something to do with the need to make sure life has highs as well as lows, because that’s one of the things that make you know that you are actually alive.
I like the roller coaster
For the quiz I started looking up quotes. Here are some I haven’t used.
“I always wanted to go again. You know, it was just so interesting to me that a ride could make me so frightened, so scared, so sick, so excited, and so thrilled all together! Some didn’t like it. They went on the merry-go-round. That just goes around. Nothing. I like the roller coaster. You get more out of it.” From the film ‘Parenthood’
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do, so throw off the bowlines, sail away from safe harbour, catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore, Dream, Discover.” Mark Twain
“I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Being willing is not enough; we must do.” Leonardo da Vinci
“Genius is one percent inspiration, ninety nine percent perspiration.” Thomas Edison
Unless we want to be inspired
There are lots of clever things people have said about life, and none of them mean anything if we never read them, none of them can apply if we don’t think about them, and none of them can inspire us unless we want to be inspired and commit some energy to getting on with it.
I guess I’m trying in my own small way with the getting on with things I want to do and could ignore. But I’ll feel less of myself if I don’t do it, even though the seductions of laziness are never-ending.
Good luck with your own getting on with things.
If you have been, thank you for reading this.
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