by Emma Graham
Writing is, on paper, (ok, please forgive me for the horrible pun), such a magical and endlessly generative thing. Don’t believe me? Ok, let me sell it to you “sell me this pen” style:
Are you with me? Imagine, with just one stack of paper and a pen, you could write anything. You could write a Pulitzer Prize winning novel. You could write the next great Canadian classic. You could write something that manages to be funny and insightful that gets blurbed as being “genuinely human and warm” from authors you love. You could write the Odyssey (if it hadn’t already been written), you could write Romeo and Juliet (if it hasn’t already been written), you could write (insert the screenplay of the best movie you’ve ever seen. You know, if it hadn’t already been written.)
Amazing right? Unbelievable even? Well, it’s all true! It’s totally within the realm of physical possibility. Want me to prove it? All right, go ahead and take a look at the best book you’ve ever read. While you’re looking at it, ask yourself “could someone have written the first draft of this with a paper and pen?” Is it physically possible that you, even, could take the time to write every one of those words? Do you know all the letters forming the words? I bet you do. I bet you can sing the whole entire alphabet song, and that’s not even getting into all the punctuation you know about! So there, physically, technically, it is possible.
There’s just one catch. Have you spotted it? That final, simple, eternal catch.
You’d have to actually be able to write it. Not just physically (on paper, on a laptop, transcribing it with your voice, etc). You’d have to be able to come up with it. In your human head that (if you’re anything like me, dear reader, which you very well might not be) can’t even always remember what you walked into a room for. The head that told the person at the move theatre ticket line to “enjoy the movie too”. Side note: this is no big deal in my opinion. Can you imagine how often they hear this? It’s like calling your teacher mom in elementary school. Mortifying on its face at the time? Maybe. But in hindsight? Garden variety mistake, and even kind of funny. No big deal! Ok, side note over.
You get the picture. You may have the implements, but do you have the imagination? The literary stamina to stick with the story all the way through? Well, I’m certainly not going to say you don’t. One, because that would be horribly discouraging, I mean, can you imagine if that was the end of this blog? Absolutely not. And two, because the first step to gaining that imagination and literary stamina, is letting yourself believe you could find it. Corny? Yes. But it’s true!
Struggling through a first draft often makes me think of that one marble episode of SpongeBob. Stay with me here!
SpongeBob and Squidward (I said stay with me!) are carving statues out of giant blocks of marble, and Squidward is really struggling. When he asks SpongeBob how he’s managing to make such beautiful statues, SpongeBob pays homage to the great renaissance artist Michelangelo and tells Squidward to simply “imagine the statue in the marble and set him free”.
Laugh all you want. I’d understand, I really would! But watching this as a child, I remember being struck by that idea so deeply. Wow. The statue IS in the marble waiting to be let out. Anybody could technically make anything if they have the right tools. But ONLY technically.
It’s a concept that’s equal parts inspiring and maddening! It’s the kind of thought that can lead to you staring down a blank word document and endlessly wondering…what now? Why won’t the story just spring full formed out of your head into the world? Can’t you just look at a page, envision your story on it, and set it free?
If only! Maybe some people can. But us mere mortals will probably have to just plod along the old-fashioned way. Starting somewhere, then pivoting elsewhere. Getting caught up in the throes of writing and then mired in the complicated (sometimes painful) process of editing. Making up our mind, then changing it, then changing our mind about the change. Liking a piece you write, then cringing at it the next day/week/year. It’s all a part of the process!
And then, often the hardest part, deciding something is done with. Ready, even. Terrifying concept really. What could possibly make something even vaguely creative ready to be shared? Isn’t it better to just hide whatever thing you make in your attic, or your notes app? Even now, I don’t really want to end this blog. Is this it? Is this my “advice”, just describing an old SpongeBob episode at length and then saying “oh well, ce’st la vie!”? Yes. Yes it is. Let this be an example to you, reader. Done is better than perfect, you’ve got to start somewhere, etc, etc. You know the drill. Give it a try and see how it works. Then try again, and don’t be afraid to pivot. And when in doubt? You could always quote a children’s show from the early 2000s. I can’t promise that’ll do anything for you, but the option is there.
Happy writing!
Emma Graham is a graduate of the University of Toronto’s English Specialist program. Emma has contributed to the Campus Co-Op monthly newsletter and also participated in a Work Study program during her undergraduate studies. During that time, she assisted in compiling research for, and editing, chapters of a now published sociology textbook. She also has significant experience writing technical copywriting to increase SEO for digital marketing purposes. Additionally, she served on numerous boards and meeting-based groups throughout undergrad, including but not limited to: The Campus Co-Op board, as Scholarship Chair for her sorority, and on her Residence House Council. Emma loves writing in all its forms, and hopes to enter the publishing industry to help serve fellow writers through editorial support. She is also a proud member of Writers in Trees, and hopes to always serve as a collaborative force with other creatives. She believes that shared creative work brings vital joy and knowledge to the world.
The views and opinions expressed in blog posts are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of all WiT members.
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