I’ve been mulling over the notion of writing a book (or books) for some time now. Recently, I checked out four books from the library for Miss D., called the “Janie Johnson” series, by Caroline B. Cooney. I’ve got a pretty good divining rod on reading material when it comes to D. and although it sometimes takes sadistic parental urging, she usually likes what I pick. This time, however, she was already slogging through two books: “The End”– the last book of the Series of Unfortunate Events, and “Fever: 1793,” something I had recommended to her before, but she didn’t pick up until it became an assignment option in Literature class. So, I read the “Janie” books, myself—and the bug bit me again, big time.
Ever since the 6th grade I wanted to be a writer. For Christmas that year I wrote a cartoon book for my Dad called “Come Back, Little Hitler,” because he was such a WWII buff and fan of the German war machine. It was a spoofish piece with little touches that pre-dated political correctness (a commercial break where prisoners are sent to the showers with Lifebuoy, for instance). The following spring we had to write short stories in Mrs. Fielding’s English class and I submitted a rather obesee tale entitled,“The Purple Pickle,” loosely based on the George Peppard movie, The Blue Max (in reference to a medal given to WWI German flying aces). Mrs. Fielding took me aside, told me I had a gift for writing and encouraged me to pursue it. I took it to heart.
Later in junior high, I joined the school paper because I figured it was the best way to get my stuff seen. Small blurbs about basketball victories and lunch lady exposes weren’t sexy enough, though, so I’d pen off-the-wall stuff and pass it around class. Most of the other kids were from good LDS homes where Mad magazine wasn’t allowed, so I had plenty of material to draw from. Not coincidentally, I stumbled upon the “class clown” within and started collecting my frequent flyer miles to the principal’s office. It was that same year I wrote my first screenplay, a sort of Carol Burnett-ish skit assimilating current popular TV commercials. My English teacher loved it and gave me access to the mimeograph machine to make copies and start casting the characters. She told me to let her know when I was ready and she’d get permission to have an assembly for it. I got as far as printing the copies and maybe casting a couple of friends for parts when I lost the steam for it, and I let it die. This was the first of many times I would start an ambitious piece and not see it through. With high school came another newspaper gig. I still passed personal works around the class, only this time it bit me in the butt– in my junior year when I mailed an anonymous love letter to a girl I liked, she knew exactly who it was, from the handwriting.
At college I continued taking creative and script writing courses. It wouldn’t be fair to say I had an eye single to this career, though. My main course of study was Advertising. Nevertheless, upon graduation I came to L.A. to be a film writer. Over 11 years I must have completed ten film scripts (and not completed three times as many), but only three were made into movies—another one into a TV pilot– and not very spectacular ones at that.
I finally decided to hang up my guns and concentrate on a corporate career. While the pay’s more steady, I still have the itch to write. For a year I’ve been building on an idea for a Mormon movie I’m aching to “put to paper,” but the time demand for such a venture is prohibitive with everything else going on. Now my inner voice is campaigning for me to write young adult fiction, something I’d never before attempted. Perhaps a spin-off of your garden variety New Era story: Alice wanted Jimmy to notice her. “It wouldn’t hurt to open the top button of my Polo shirt,” she reasoned. “Then he’s sure to ask me to the tri-stake dance.” But something deep inside told Alice there was a reason the Polo shirt had a top button. She played with it between her fingers, thinking dangerous thoughts…
I believe writing is one of the talents I came with that I’m expected to magnify. To borrow a line from Eric Liddel in Chariots of Fire (read with Scottish brogue), “I believe God made me for a purpose, Jennie, but he also made me verbose. And when I write, I feel His pleasure.” I had hoped the blog would satisfy my needs, but instead it just fuels them. And it’s not starting such a project that concerns me—it’s not finishing it. See Lord? I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the blog: lo, there thou hast that is thine. Another half-hearted sacrifice for the altar.
If you knew me well enough (which I don’t expect), you’d know this is just my way of working up to start the project– the old Tevya “On the other hand” bit. I don’t have time to write a book (I barely have time to update my calendar) , but I’ll find it. I have to. Even if I knew it would never sell or draw pleasure from a single person, I’d do it. Even though I suspect it will contribute to countless nights of blocks and plot impasses, wrong turns and rewrites, I’m doing it.
Because writers write, baby.
16 responses so far ↓
1 xoxoxoxo // Mar 25, 2008 at 2:10 am
I’m beginning to wonder if we were separated at birth:
I was class clown-Jr and Sr High.
My English teacher told me to become a writer
I can make up limericks in seconds on almost any word
And I’m not Hollywood material but I’ve been the “go to” girl in many a ward and neighborhood when someone wants a poem or piece written-I will even admit to writing a Rap for our bishop once that the youth performed. (Impressive I know! I try to remain humble…)
But David, your blog is not wasted talent. It’s probably blessing the lives of people in ways that no movie/book/script ever could. I know it blesses mine. If you bring but one soul unto Christ, how great your joy will be. How many have you brought closer to Him with “just” a blog? Probably more than you will ever know.
Write a book. Write a blockbuster series of them. But don’t stop writing on your blog!
2 Chris Bigelow // Mar 25, 2008 at 4:18 am
Well, of course I’m curious what your movies and TV pilot were… Are you the Mormon David who wrote GalaxyQuest?
3 xoxoxoxo // Mar 25, 2008 at 4:22 am
Ditto what Chris said. YOU brought it up, now you have to tell us!
4 Jim // Mar 25, 2008 at 4:33 am
David,
I admire 1) that you recognize that you have a gift, and 2) that you are willing to pursue your dreams. I believe far too few have aspirations nowadays to do wonderful things- too often (generalizing again here) we settle for status quo and mediocrity. Of those that do dream, many don’t articulate them and even fewer pursue them.
Keep us posted!
5 David // Mar 25, 2008 at 3:41 pm
Believe me, none of my movies were anywhere near the caliber of GalaxyQuest. I wasn’t just being humble when I said they were not very spectacular. In fact, they were direct-to-cable and direct-to-video. They might have gotten into a theater in, say, Latvia. I’m not going to name titles, partly out of embarrassment and partly because I prefer to keep the family name anonymous. But it was a blast to work with actors I knew and enjoyed in other films, and magical to be in the middle of the production, the “smell of the grease paint.” Most of all, bad as they were, it was kind of cool to say I had my stuff made.
xoxoxoxo,
Wow, it does sound like we were separated twins. Which one’s the doppelganger, though?
I also used to write stuff for a friend who performed in his singles ward. He played a recurring character called Julio Espanolios and talked like Fabio. Thank you for your dear words about the blog. It has blessed me, mostly with the people who stop by and share their thoughts. And, skippy, I’m your number one fan.
Jim,
I think most people dream about doing wonderful things, but a lot just don’t know how or where to begin. That’s where the Church has been such a great vehicle– to guide them and challenge them to stretch their limits. Not that I’ve come close to stretching mine, but at least I know how I could. That word “mediocrity” is pretty depressing, isn’t it?
6 Jim // Mar 25, 2008 at 8:41 pm
Maybe it’s the pessimist in me, but as one that struggles to make my dreams a reality, I sometimes wonder if it is “better” to not have dreams at all than to dream and not be able to realize them. Also, I think it takes wisdom to distinguish between dreams that are attainable and worthwhile from dreams that are merely wishful thinking.
On the other hand, I sometimes feel guilty for dreaming and wanting more when I have been so blessed as it is. It almost seems ungrateful in a way. I think there is a fine line between being content with what one is/has/does and wanting to be/have/do more….
7 xoxoxoxo // Mar 26, 2008 at 12:01 am
Hey, why does one of us have to be dead? Huh? Can’t we just be twins that one set of parents couldn’t handle raising together?
Julio Espanolios? Any relation to the Great Cornholio?
And thanks for the compliment but so far I think you are my ONLY fan! lol
8 Jim // Mar 26, 2008 at 1:56 am
xoxoxoxo: I did submit a comment on your blog several days ago- was it lost? Just curious….
9 David // Mar 26, 2008 at 2:18 am
Jim,
I’m not sure I have the wisdom to distinguish between attainable dreams and those unattainable. I might need to bounce it off my Fidelity consultant first. I have a dream of running a used bookstore after I retire, with a Winnebago parked out back for sudden urges to jaunt. Is that too much to ask? Throw me a frickin’ bone here!
I don’t think it’s too much to dream of certain things if you’re living a good life.
10 David // Mar 26, 2008 at 2:21 am
xoxoxoxo,
Ohh, okay… we’re not dead. But mom always liked me best.
Julio Espanolios was the bizzaro Julio Iglesias.
Great Cornholio…*sigh*… By the twitching of my thumbs, something Beavis this way comes…
11 xoxoxoxo // Mar 27, 2008 at 9:52 pm
Jim-
Sorry…still tweaking the settings over yonder and had no idea that your comment had fallen into the black chasm called “moderation”. Thanks for stopping by and come back soon ya’hear!
David-
You’ll have to run your bookstore right beside my bed and breakfast ok? My guests will need good books to read and dh refuses to EVER let me own an RV so I’ll have to rent yours.
12 David // Mar 28, 2008 at 2:02 am
xoxoxoxo,
dh refuses to EVER let me own an RV so I’ll have to rent yours.
Actually dh and my mrs. are of like mind. She’d rather die than have a motor home. Some days it’s a tough choice.
13 xoxoxoxo // Mar 28, 2008 at 10:38 pm
Dh HATES driving. Commuting nearly kills him and it’s like a 20 minute drive each way. When we “go out”, he usually asks me to drive (apparently it is just toooooo taxing on a work day)-which I love to do.
So to him, the idea of packing up and taking to the road with no destination in mind and just experiencing the good ol USA is right up there with root canals and bathing the dog, where for me, if the kids aren’t involved but lots of books and junk food ARE…we’re talking nirvana.
I’m NOT a camper mind you as in tents and such. Holiday Inn is roughing it for me these days, so my RV would have to have plasma and surround sound and network capabilities.
14 xoxoxoxo // Mar 28, 2008 at 10:39 pm
You know…his aversion puzzles me considering his Jewiosity. Shouldn’t they be natural wanderers? Or was 40 years enough?
15 David // Mar 29, 2008 at 12:09 am
xoxoxoxo,
It does sound like dh needs a tribal intervention. Help him to awaken the Canaanite within.
You’d think I’d be in pig heaven (no pun intended) surrounded by such a large community of “my people,” and if this were NY or Israel I would. But here in schlocky, gold lame’ LA they largely annoy me. My closest Jewish friend is Iranian, so I don’t classify him among them. A funny side story: When our wives first introduced us, he took me by surprise with his exuberance. “I hear you like movies! I love movies– all movies! What’s your favorite movie?” “My favorite?” “Yes! Your absolute favorite of all movies, what is it?” (not missing a beat) “Not Without My Daughter.” His face dropped like a cold latke. “I don’t like that movie,” he said.
I’m not fond of commuting either, but I dig driving cross-country. Finding small towns and “discovering” amazing diners (like Chick’s; genuflect) and book stores and– oh!– exploring the backroads in the South and digging in the flea markets. Stuff like that. I’ve never seen New England– that would be a dream road trip. I try not to watch the Travel Channel too much ’cause it only frustrates me, y’know?
16 xoxoxoxo // Mar 31, 2008 at 5:16 am
Oh yeah, I KNOW. Living in Utah where anything you would buy at a flea market you are taught how to make at Enrichment Night OR never goes into the yard sale because Utah Mormons like to KEEP the “good stuff” is frustrating beyond belief. I love to watch the DIY channels and it makes me nuts when the designer trots down to the local “thrift store” and it is filled with antiques and cool old stuff instead of threadbare mission suits and maternity dresses. AAAAAAAAAAAAA I would give ANYTHING for a sort of Amish country or even a decent estate sale occasionally.
I LOVE to stop at truck stops and out of the way places and just explore-keep wanting to take the kidlets to explore the “ghost towns” here, but our history is so “young” that you don’t get the same vibe as the East Coast etc. Spent about two weeks on Nantucket once…heaven from the cobblestone streets to the eclectic shops and cottages and I wasn’t even old enough to really enjoy it like I would now.
I don’t like ‘traffic’ driving, but cross country is a blast (unless it’s August and you’re driving a 1970 Ford LTD with no air conditioning…a story for another time-can you say Children of the Corn?). Give me a convertible Mustang and my Styx CD and a Geo Cache map and I’d be giggling for weeks.
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