Guest post: “Why We Do What We Do," by David Armstrong
A lot of writers talk and blog about the immense amount of time it takes to do character sketches, chapter outlines, take notes, etc., before they even begin to write a word of their story. Though this isn’t the method I use to develop an idea or a concept into a story, it is certainly a sound one, and possibly the best one, for plotting and structure. Once I get a story idea, or a character appears in my head, I prefer to “go with the flow” and let that character tell me his/her story. Then, the story naturally evolves, and the rest of the characters seem to naturally appear, when and where they’re supposed to. This approach to writing, I believe, greatly enhances creativity. Neither method is better, just different.
When I write, it’s like I’m sitting alone in a theatre, watching a stage play or a 3-D movie on a huge screen, and I simply write what I’m hearing and seeing. Sometimes, though, it’s like I’m actually in the scene itself, and I’m hurriedly taking notes about what’s going on. I revealed this once to a writer friend of mine who was amazed this was how I write my novels and screenplays. When I asked him “why” and if he saw anything in his head when he wrote, his response was that he actually saw the printed words on paper, and he just copied what he was seeing. Wow—now that’s truly amazing!
My point, obviously, is that all writers are different, just as all readers are different. Don’t ever let anyone tell or teach you that you should do this or that. Just write—everyday—in the manner that works best for you and your story.
But back to this matter of how much time it takes to write: In addition to what I mentioned above about story preparation, notes, and characterization, the number of months—for some writers, years—it takes to finally finish a novel is mind-boggling, especially if, like me, you’re also working a full-time job. (It’s 4:35 AM as I write this before work.) And consider a mom who’s also working a full-time job—how does she/they do it? And then there’s the Herculean task of rewriting and editing, and more rewriting and editing, until, finally, you reach the point where you shout at your muse(s), “Enough, already! I’m sending out my brilliant query letters/emails now!”
And that’s the end of the writer’s journey. Right? Not quite. Lying on one of the nightstands next to my antique, brass bed is a big, thick, aqua and white book entitled, “Writer’s Market 2019.” If you were to sneak into my haunted, antebellum home one day (Watch out for the ghosts and my mean cat named, “Butch.”), go into my bedroom, pick up that heavy book and examine it, you would see page after dog-eared page of hundreds of literary agents and publishers—some highlighted in yellow, others in pink, many with blue or red check marks by their names or companies, paper clipped, crossed out in black ink, and so on and so forth. I don’t recall now what all these different color highlights, paper clips, and check marks meant—and I really don’t care to, but I clearly recall the amount of time it took to accomplish all this. My point is, after the story is finished, and after all the edits and rewrites are done, there still remains an incalculable amount of work to be done and time to be spent on researching who to approach with your artfully drafted query letter/email.
So, why do we do what we do? Knowing full well that the odds of finding a publisher is something like 1/1000, and the odds of finding a literary agent is even more staggering—1/6000! (So I’ve read by a so-called, “expert.”)
Or maybe, just maybe, it’s because all writers instinctively know, deep inside, that we have a calling, a blessing, a God given gift that we have to use and share with the world to try to make it a better place to live. And, maybe, too, to make a little money at it while doing so.
About the Author:
David Armstrong was born and raised in Natchez, Mississippi. He is an attorney, former mayor, and former candidate for the U.S. Congress. Currently, he serves as the Chief Operating Officer for the city of Columbus, Mississippi. David received both an undergraduate and a master’s degree in political science from Mississippi State University, before going on to receive a law degree from the University of Mississippi.
The Rising Place Place, David’s second novel, was made into a feature film by Flatland Pictures before it was published by The Wild Rose Press. His third novel, The Third Gift, will be released by The Wild Rose Press this summer. He has also written four screenplays.
David is the father of two grown sons, William and Canon, and lives in one of the oldest and most haunted antebellum homes in Columbus with a snarky old cat named Butch.
Find out more: therisingplace.com
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