I am a writer. I write both professionally and as an amateur. I have written longer (hundreds of pages) pieces and I write shorter (~500 words) blog posts almost every day. I've done fiction, non-fiction, and technical. I've been paid to write and I've won prizes for my writing. I even enjoyed the thesis and dissertation components of grad school much better than I liked the make-work nonsense that is greater than 50% of undregrad.
.
Since I was a child, barely old enough to understand that people made books, I have wanted to be a career novelist. I love soft (humanistic) sci-fi and sweeping sci-fi epics like Herbert's Dune. I like classic fantasy like Tolkien and Peake. I love creepy horror like Lovecraft and true crime and mystery and I especially love westerns - particularly Lamour's. So, what has kept me from writing the next great American novel?
.
I can't lie. Part of it has been the simple fact that I have not devoted the time to doing the writing that it takes to develop the craft. But I also have a couple of hang-ups that I have not yet been able to overcome.
.
One is the apparent necessity in modern fiction writing to include the obscene . I don't think I could (and I don't want to) write about sex - especially the deviant sexuality that I see in much of what people buy and sell and read now. For instance, I'm into the second book of John Scalzi's Old Man's War right now. Utterly fascinating space opera with tons of thought-provoking technological twists and a good story line too. But the sexual promiscuity is over the top. Not that it isn't realistic in the universe that Scalzi has created. It's a reasonable part of that created universe, but that doesn't make it less obscene (literally, something that should not be seen, or which should be off-stage). Sex writing is one of my hangups that I haven't overcome.
.
Another hurdle is a technical skill - a part of the novelcraft that I haven't developed, which is the ability to expand or condense time. Like in an epic fantasy, there might be journeys that take months or years (or generations) that some masters will cover in a few pages. But on the other hand, there might be an encounter that lasts minutes or seconds (or less) that deserves to occupy many, many pages. I haven't developed that ability sufficiently yet.
.
But my life is not over, so watch out! I still dream of being a career novelist when I grow up, so you never can tell when I might release the Next Great American Novel!
____________
Patrick Parker, is a Christian, husband, father, judo and aikido teacher, Program Director for a Cardiac Rehab, and a Ph.D. Contact: mokurendojo@gmail.com or phone 601.248.7282
____________
Subscribe to free updates from the Self-Education of Pat
