I doubt it.

"Doubt is the beginning of wisdom."

If doubt is the beginning of wisdom, is a question the beginning of a good story? As Stephen King says, he takes a strong character, throws him into difficulty, and then, wonders how the character will work his way through the difficulty.

Now, this doesn't work so well if the character is not well formulated. Some writers will develop their characters, writing several pages about each character, before they ever think about putting the character into a story. This feels a little formulaic for me; having tried it both ways, thus far I prefer to let the character develop in the midst of the stresses and strains of the story. Granted, I still have a fair idea if the character is wise and witty, plodder or speedster, fussy or messy, literalistic or willing to bend (or break--oh my!) the rules.

Where do characters come from? Usually, mine are purely imaginary. Oh, there may have been a leaping-off point, where one deed or phrase or behaviorism caught my attention in real life, but I think most authors are sufficiently creative to craft their own reality without much cribbing from the folks around us. Besides, how'd you feel, seeing yourself inside a story, waking up to:
   "Yipes, get me get away from this person--I don't know them, I don't want to know 'em, and I don't like the way he's looking at me, like a hungry lion stalking a lame gnu!"
   Heavy breathing in the background.
   "Help! Let me out of this story!"
   A wet gurgle that may have passed for laughter was the only reply.

   Being caught in that story...now, that would be bad gnus, baby!

   Okay, some characters are full of doubts, wonders, questions, and insufficiencies. Others are strong and capable and rarely doubt themselves. A story populated by characters of only one of these types wouldn't work terribly well, and certainly wouldn't smack of reality, would it? Sorta like you and, too much or too little doubt--either extreme doesn't set the stage for success. Solomon, by the way, would disagree with my opening quote; Solly seems to think that awestruck reverence for God is the beginning of wisdom. Whattaya think of that?

"Never in doubt...sometimes correct."

Did he say "bum" and "glue" in the same sentence?

ACME Bum Glue: Apply to your posterior. Sit. Write. (Do not use while writing in the nude.)

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Today was another day that needed a richer and thicker application of "bum-glue." Sure, there might be a different or better name for it: stick-to-it-iveness; persistence; old-fashioned work ethic. And I'd bet we all have areas in our life where we don't need it--but, others...uh-huh, direly needed. I am so easily distracted...but I wouldn't call it writer's block: the only block is the block-head who would rather play, read, chat, listen to Pandora, peruse FB...you name it, fiddle, file, sort, anything rather than work. Truly unique?--not. So, let us, as some wise old Hebrew feller urged us, "consider how to stir up one another to love and to do good works."
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"Just do it.".--NIKE.

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"Tell me what you measure and I'll tell you how I'll perform."

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WHY WRITE?

"Why write? You may as well ask me, 'Why breathe?'"

--Anon.

 

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Why write? Good question. Perhaps the same answer would arise if you asked a different question: Why does an artist do art? Why does a weight lifter lift heavy weights? Actually, the answer to the last question was demonstrated one early afternoon, in my office. I had just met a fellow who wanted to know if I'd be his doctor, in case he had any problems. As he told of his good health, he said, "I'm a weight lifter. I like lifting heavy things," which he demonstrated during this little oration, by lifting up my metal desk with one hand.

Why write? "Because I like to" is a true and simple response, albeit incomplete; some folks just have to, there's a certain compulsion, an itch that must be scratched. Or, as with my weight-lifting patient, "Because I can and because it's fun." Perhaps there's also an element of, "I wouldn't feel fulfilled or complete without writing."

There's another angle, one that only dawned on me this autumn (2012): "I write because I am created in the image of God, the creator of all...and when I create something, I am obediently acting in the image of my Father!" Yes, our creativity may be an act of worship!

Created anything lately? Want to? Go for it...creativity is natural for us, and it is a gift of God (sadly, I believe that our educational system does an excellent job of stomping out creativity. Uniformity of outcomes, the one right answer, sitting quietly and raising your hand...not gonna maximize creativity, IMHO.)

Nuts to that...let's focus on the positive side. The Bible is full of creativity--look at all of King David's poems, the Psalms, and all those fascinating tidbits of wisdom by Solomon Davidson in his Proverbs. He makes Poor Richard's Almanack look as deep as a puddle!

Go forth and create! You have the full backing of the Father, accompanied by the mind of Christ (1  Corinthians 2:16), and you are fueled by the Spirit of God (John 14: 26--But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.) And God said, "Let there be male and female, creative lads and lasses whom I have created IN MY IMAGE..." [David's paraphrase!]


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You can't put a limit on anything. The more you dream, the farther you get." Michael Phelps.
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