Thursday, May 05, 2005

Why I write

Like I said in my first post, I gave this up for about a year and a half. I convinced myself that it wasn't worth the work and heartbreak. Of course, that can be said of love as well, and most of don't mind taking that leap at some point in our lives. I don't know if I'd say writing is God's call on my life. And I'd feel pretentious to say it was a gift. But there's a gray area in between. I'd say all gifts, of the talent variety, are from God. Some choose to use their gift wisely, some foolishly, and some not at all. I'll shoot for wisely and pray I don't blow it.

Being a writer is tough. First of all, you have to be able to lay down every thought or inclination of the human soul (specifically, yours) on paper. Let's put it this way: every thought, every feeling, every temptation that has ever crossed my mind, I have to be willing to put it out there for the world to see. You up for that? If you go about exposing your every thought, people will think you're a nut. If just the thought was enough, we'd all be nuts. The difference between the normal people and the nuts is that the normal people know to keep their mouths shut. If they're especially good at it, they go into politics.

Now consider being a Christian writer. Heavens! We can't go around saying all that stuff that floats around in our sinwashed little minds. Then everyone will know that we have the same problems and tempations as the rest of the world. I kinda think that's the point. What do I want to see come out of my writing. Well, honestly, good entertainment for a lot of people--people with cash. But I'd like to see someone say, "Hey, this moron's just like me, but he's got this little something extra, what can it be?" Maybe that will never happen, but I'll give it a shot.

I'm hoping to get to the blog more often. Somebody guilted me into it today. Gosh, I didn't know anyone cared. This is a great place to lay it all out, though. Random thoughts of a closet romantic who just happens to like a corpse or three in his stories. There really isn't much difference between a romance and suspense, after all. You just take the sissy boy with the flaming hair and strapping pecs and kill him by page three. Nothin' to it.

3 comments:

Rich said...

Ron,

Linked over to your blog from Brandilyn's. Saw that you're in the auto business--axel engineering. Wow, seems like the technology for axels would have been pretty cast in stone after 100 years of autos!

I'm an old car buff, so I've been around the inside of a differential once or twice.

Saw your desire for an accountability writing partner. Maybe I could fit into that if you're still looking. My job is coming to an end on Friday this week (July 15th). I'm 55 and ready for a new challenge. Depending on the severance, I might be in pretty good shape--have to see.

My new goal is to write and make something happen. I started writing about 2 years ago. I went to Robert McKee's Story Seminar, then attended the Mount Hermon Christian Writer's Conf in 2004 and this year, then went to the ACRW/ACFW conf in Denver last year. I feel like I finally know a little bit of how to put together a whole novel. Not sure I can, yet, but I'm going to try.

I'm in an online critique group with two other people from ACFW, Pam Meyers and Linda Baldwin. That's been a great experience and helped me get a short story published online.

I'll be at the conf in Nashville. Will you?

You can email me at rbullockv8@yahoo.com
Rich Bullock
Newbury Park, CA

Unknown said...

Ron, I too linked over from Brandilyn's blog. Keep at it. I whole-heartedly agree about showing that we Christians also struggle with sin. Same like everyone else.

The world seems to think we shouldn't. I'm glad the CBA is diving into topics it wouldn't have years ago. We need to minister to people where they live.

I'll be at the conference, Rich. I'll say hi if I see your mug there!
Blessings.

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.