Inch by Inch

By Sparkie on Flickr

I’ve been out of it for quite a while. The explanation is simple: some life stuff happened. But I joined a writing critique group and am trying out a new (to me) tool called AutoCrit. I’ve signed up for a class where you focus on getting in-depth on a POV and I’m looking forward to using it to get a short story idea written out.

I’m hoping that this tool will help me with my plotting problems when I’m writing novels, keeping the pace and not bogging down with too much detail.

In the meantime, I’ve been focusing on short stories, which I don’t seem to have a problem with. Writing a novel chapter is like sweating blood, but writing a short story – for me, at least – is being in the zone and it always comes together fast and I’m always happy with it. Part of me is wondering if writing short stories is what I should focus on. And I have to say that’s a big fat maybe. That’s because I’m stubborn and it takes a lot of repeated fails before I give up on anything that interests me.

There was an old Vaudeville routine that the 3 Stooges revived in the 50s, where Moe told the story of the man who stole his gal and how he got revenge at Niagara Falls. And every time someone said “Niagara Falls” Moe would advance on Curly, saying “Slowly I turned, and step by step, inch by inch…” and then Curly would have the stuffing beat out of him, only for it to happen over and over again. So the Writing Life has been a little like that for me the last couple of years. Nobody’s saying “Niagara Falls” but life has been beating the stuffing out of me for a while and I figure what I have to do is turn that around. So step by step, inch by inch, that’s what I’m trying to do.

Willpower and Persistence

David Allen, via Flickr

I’m always seeing posts about how you should strive to be this or that. I wonder how much research has gone into whether it’s always possible to “become” something entirely by willpower and persistence; by an unwavering belief in yourself.


We like to believe in this country that all you need is willpower and persistence to achieve the top of anything. I have come to believe that is not the whole story. You also need ABILITY. Without ability, you cannot become a good singer. Without ability, you cannot become a successful artist or writer or dancer or cook or scientist. Without ability, willpower and persistence can only take you so far. So yes, you can become something you want to be by persistence and belief, but only to an extent, unless you have the ability to do more.


When we tell others they only need to work harder at something that does not match their ability, I think we do them a disservice. Not everyone can be brave, or smart, or talented to the levels they would like to be. Or that we might want them to be.


To use a game analogy, as long as you can honestly say you’re leveling up, then keep going. But remember that the 20 year old who wants to be a famous rapper has probably made his life about the pursuit of the dream rather than living the dream if he turns 70 and hasn’t made it. And yeah, it’s never too late to achieve a dream while you live, but you’re probably going to have to scale it back a bit because – here’s that word again – your ABILITY to achieve it has to be taken into account.

My childhood dream was to be a famous writer. At 70 (now 72), I have to admit I’m not even close to being famous. I don’t even have a published novel. It’s still possible for me to complete and publish a novel, but it would have to be a hell of a novel to make me famous. In addition, my lifelong depression and anxiety issues sometimes keep me from writing at all.


So I have had to come to terms with realizing that though I am a writer, I will never be famous and that my production will never be on a par with say Neil Gaiman. But I can continue to level up as a writer. I can use my willpower and persistence to work at becoming better at writing and at writing as often as I can.


I would never tell people they can be anything they want to be just by willpower and persistence. I would tell them they CAN be anything they want to be – within limits. And that’s really not a bad thing. Not everyone can be rich and famous or insanely talented, but we can all be the best us possible.