I joined a writer’s group for the same reason I found an art teacher, to take things to the next level.
Inspired by Happy Trees and Clouds, I opened my first paint tube.
Folks, my first attempts at happy anything sucked. Mom was the only person who said anything nice about my ‘art.’ She was less than objective. Possibly that is why moms are so endearing.
The cliché about starving artists is indisputable. It matters not how good you are. The only people who benefit financially from your gift are your heirs or perhaps those who discover an old painting in an attic long after you have decomposed.
The rich might hire you to feed their narcissistic needs if you are genuinely gifted.
I was never interested in art for financial gain. Painting and doing it correctly forces you to analyze every stroke. Much like writing, you become lost in the story.
Yes, I said story.
A picture or painting is worth a thousand words. Encouraging flash fiction (a thousand words or less) from a photo is one way to become lost in another world.
Those of you who write will understand this.
A story that is well crafted only occurs when the author lives in the enchanted woods, the old castle, or perhaps the dungeon with all the creepy dripping sounds from leaking pipes. From musty odors to the echoes of screams from a tortured soul down the corridor, place us there.
Our own creative nature turns us into introverts.
One of my stories starts the turning pages in the anthology that the Carrollton League of Writers produced.
Ralph is different in many ways. An intellectual living in a world of testosterone-laden peers puts him at odds with almost everyone. Linking an abundance of hormones to behavioral issues should be the focus of those going through puberty. I digress.
The protagonist in Jupiter’s Song is a nerd.
While creating Jupiter’s Song, our critique group had different takes on it. The story was called a Hallmark story by one and another related to Ralph. A line in the story offered by my friend made it into the story. ‘I am good at warming the bench. Why would you want me on the team?’
Like my fellow art students, fellow writers offering lines that charm the readers are paramount to creating a better story.
One would be surprised how many people told me how they related to Ralph, and many related to the bullies in the story.
Sudden onset of hormones in both men and women are often reflected in behavioral issues. Much like drinking too much or doing drugs, hormones affect mood. The effect of testosterone or estrogen is usually displayed in aggression. Immediate course correction in middle school is paramount to keeping our youth out of the judicial system. That, in my humble opinion, is where we have screwed up when it comes to our progeny.
You might hear the following phrase about this time in your teenager’s life. ‘I hate you, mom.’
Of course, they don’t mean it. Their systems are flooded with hormones that change who they are.
Jupiter’s song is about how a teenager like Ralph makes it through school. Not only does he change his behavior to affect change in his peers, but to stay the course of who he is as a person.
True leaders lead by example.
Writers, although introverts, should be around others who are also striving for success in a very competitive field.
If you have read our anthology, please leave a review on Amazon.
Scott
TheTimeDok 