It seems like everyone wants to be a writer these days, but that isn’t going to stop me from writing. When I started to pitch my first book to agents, let me tell you I got mightily discouraged from the lack of interest. I went through phases of wondering if I should even bother – to trying harder to figure out what I needed to do.
Nowadays I’m comfortable and happy with self-publishing {the missing teacher}. I’m reminded of how crazy it is to write a memoir and how vulnerable I have allowed myself to become. Yet, I can’t imagine not doing it. I think if you have something unique to say then say it. I’ve certainly sat with it long enough to know I needed to say what I wanted to say.
That being said, I think I can be a better writer by remembering to be patient. We definitely live in a “one click away” world, so it becomes infinitely easier to just write something for the blog and upload it immediately. But I think there is great value in waiting before you speak, at least in my case.
Being patient allows me to catch typos, fix clichés and awkward sentences. It also gives me a chance to think about whether or not I really want to publish something. Sometimes it’s already been said, better in fact, so I put it away and chalk it up to practice and work on something else to write.
I’m also starting to see the power in asking questions. I started off {the missing teacher} with a seemingly simple question: Was I a good teacher? This ultimately led me to ask other questions like, “Why was I fired?” and pursuing those answers until I found satisfactory ones. I realize now that by asking a simple question, I set myself up for a journey that ultimately became a quest and a book.
Warren Berger has written a series of Fast Company articles on asking questions and what they can do. So now, I have been asking myself questions like, “How can I take better care of myself?” and “How can I be a better blogger?” I love how [framing changes] into questions makes me feel like I can do it. It’s empowering and it feels like a fresh start.
Lastly, I want to remember to keep researching. In the past, when I wrote, I didn’t make that extra effort to find out that dog’s name or this restaurant’s address. But after reading about how important these details are in writing, I started to do more sleuthing. Now, I feel I am learning more, which is not only great for me, but for others who read my posts or stories.
A colleague and I often talk about how technology is affecting our students in the classroom. They can’t seem to stay off their smart phones. It’s fascinating how addicted they are to those little devices, and rather sad how their postures are being sacrificed for another round of Cookie Run.
Anyway, he found this Journeyman pictures video on “Being a digital nomad” and essentially what was revealed was how different age groups research and find information.
It should be no surprise that the younger generation finds the answers to their questions much faster and the older generation finds them slower. But the goalie kicker for me was the younger ones just grabbed the first answer they saw, while the older group took their time to do their research.
Ultimately, I want to provide value and understanding with what I share, so I want to do my research. I don’t want to be a lazy writer. Sometimes it’s a little maddening. For instance, when I’m trying to understand the world in which my father grew up in – China during its Civil War and ultimately its Cultural Revolution. This is a lot of history, wars and geography and then some. But I know that I cannot write about my family without a grasp on their environment.
I also sought out an old family friend who was an American GI during the Vietnam War who enjoyed a little R&R in Thailand because this was the time and place where my parents met. I had to get his perspective in order to understand this experience. My mom is Thai so she offers another point of view and since my father is dead I have to do a lot of research.
One day, if not now, I think it will pay off. I think stories will always be a necessary part of growing and learning and I hope to make a contribution to the greater narrative. Until then, I’m going to ask, “How can I be a better writer.”
Comments create conversations. Let’s talk.