| Here's something from my mailbag. "Dear
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| | authors suffering partial paralysis,
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| Michael, do you need to do good in school
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| | authors with various psychoses, authors
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| if you want to be a writer? I stink at
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| | who deal with more than one of these
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| school and all my friends laugh at me
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| | obstacles. What they overcome makes my
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| when I tell them I want to write, but I'm
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| | complaint, that I'm too left-brained to
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| serious." Followed by a sentence or two
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| | be in this business, seem absolutely
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| of "I need your words to encourage me" or
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| | pathetic. And yours, about doing poorly
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| some such nonsense. Fortunately, a
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| | in school. I could cite you a VERY long
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| writing sample is rarely attached. If it
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| | list of authors who did poorly in school.
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| is, either it's excellent or it stinks
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| | If I did my job as an editor, you'll
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| like rancid yak butter. There's a lot of
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| | never know who they are unless I call
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| middle ground in the writing world, of
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| | them out by name. And I won't. Probably
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| course, but for some reason it never
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| | because I can't remember them all. (I'm
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| seems to accompany these emails. The
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| | joking. Editor/author confidentiality
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| message is usually (but not always) so
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| | protects them, even if it exists only in
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| filled with errors that I'm not gonna
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| | my imagination.) Our emailer then
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| reprint them here or correct them when I
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| | mentions that her friends laugh at her
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| reply lest I destroy some sensitive soul
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| | when she tells them she intends to write.
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| like a jackhammer to an eggshell. (It's
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| | Why does she care? I've lost count of how
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| ridiculous that I should even have such
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| | many projects I've undertaken despite
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| power, being a stranger and all.) Let's
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| | criticism. Not just writing, either.
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| move on to the relevant part, the
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| | Life. But let me narrow my focus just so
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| question, which actually contains
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| | I can end this rant. You have a reason
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| several. This writer gets bonus points
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| | for writing. You know what it is, even if
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| for brevity. Do you have to be good in
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| | you can't put it into words. I can't put
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| school? Given what's passing for English
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| | it into words. ("It" can mean your reason
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| in some places, I'd certainly like to see
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| | OR mine in that sentence.) But it's
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| more effort given to school. If you're a
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| | there. Why do you give a rat's backside
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| student reading this, please try to learn
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| | how many people tell you not to even try?
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| something while you can. If you aspire to
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| | People who I doubt have even read your
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| be an author and you did poorly in
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| | writing, I might add. Your classmates
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| school, or if you're just plain
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| | won't understand why you write. Nor your
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| uneducated, don't let it stop you. What
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| | friends. Nor your family. You're lucky if
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| we do as authors isn't taught in school.
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| | you find ten non-writers in your lifetime
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| They teach grammar, and bless them. I
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| | who have a clue. And you don't care. You
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| can't teach that subject. If you're very
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| | just write. If you're ever lucky enough
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| fortunate, as I was, you'll stumble
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| | to "arrive," then all the doubters will
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| across some teachers who teach you how to
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| | claim to understand why you write. And
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| think. But thinking is the beginning of
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| | they'll all be wrong. Also, by the time
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| writing, not the end, and grammar can be
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| | someone out there is embracing your work,
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| fixed later if you find some
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| | you'll already be three books beyond it
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| long-suffering editor (like me) willing
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| | and sick of hearing about your old trash.
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| to do it. In other words, school can help
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| | No, it won't be trash, but you'll think
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| you with the first step or two of your
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| | of it that way. There's a big time lapse
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| journey to be an author. Considering how
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| | between creation and that Oprah
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| many steps come after those, don't be
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| | interview. What I never write to those
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| discouraged by test results and report
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| | emailers is this. I shouldn't have to
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| cards. To distill what you think, feel
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| | tell you why you write. You don't need my
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| and believe from all the trash floating
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| | vindication or anyone else's. If those
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| around in your head, and then to actually
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| | who haven't even read your work can
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| put that on paper the way you mean to put
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| | discourage you, maybe you should give up.
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| it, is a skill that only comes from years
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| | Or do an Emily Dickinson and leave it all
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| of practice. They don't teach it in
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| | for people to find after you die. But I
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| school. At least, no school I've ever
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| | can tell you this. If you'll let
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| attended. I struggled at this for 20
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| | something as silly as your grades in
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| years or so after I graduated from
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| | school stop you from even beginning to
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| college. That's where I learned to write.
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| | write in the first place, nothing you
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| Not in a classroom. In my travels through
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| | have to write is worth finding after you
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| the Matrix, I've met blind authors, deaf
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| | die. And if you're angry at me for saying
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| authors, dyslexic authors, authors
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| | it, good. Prove me wrong. Write a book.
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| writing in a second or third language,
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| |
|
