One of my favorite movie scenes is from the film City Slickers. In the scene Jack Palance’s character, Curly, a grizzled cowboy with a cigarette dangling from his lips, is riding on horseback alongside Billy Crystal’s city character, Mitch, who is in the throes of a midlife crisis.
Curly turns to Mitch and asks, “Do you know what the secret to life is?”
Mitch eagerly responds, “No, what?”
Curly holds up one, leather–gloved finger. “This.”
“Your finger?”
“One thing. Just one thing.” Curly pauses. “You stick to that and everything else don’t mean shit.”
“That’s great, but...” Mitch shrugs his shoulders slightly. “What’s the one thing?”
Curly points his finger at Mitch. “That’s what you got to figure out.”
Finding My One Thing
I have dedicated this year to finding my purpose, my one thing. There’s a lot that competes for my attention in writing, but finding my voice, the writing that makes me, well me, is this year's major pursuit.
I spent all last year working on a manuscript which, quite honestly, I would never pick up and read if I saw it in a bookstore. Now isn't that interesting? In part, it was a cathartic project of release. But I also wrote it because I thought I should write fiction . . . right? Needless to say, it wasn't very good. The recipe was off—one heaping cup wrong motives, two cups lack of skill, half cup lack of interest, two heaping tablespoons self-indulgence. Mix, stir and simmer for twelve months.
But I do believe I have a unique voice, a gift to share, and as Curly so wisely said, that’s what I got to figure out.
Of course, the question Mitch probably had, the one only he could answer was, how. How do you find your one thing? I don't have the answers, but here are some ways I’m going about it:
- Say A Little Prayer: Anne Lamott in Bird By Bird, talks about how she says a prayer before she starts writing each day, asking for help to get her self out of the way, to be a conduit to what needs to be written. I try to do the same. It's still a discipline, and I haven't cracked the code yet, but I believe she's onto something-- a spiritual connection in our writing process.
- Read…A Lot: Most writers are readers, so this isn't revolutionary, but I am making a conscious effort to read books--fiction, non-fiction, writing books, all different kinds-- hoping they will teach me different styles of expression so I can learn more about what I like and what I don’t like.
- Write…A Lot: And boy, am I writing some bad stuff, but I’m writing. I’m trying out new styles, a different voice, playing and not feeling like everything I write needs to be a masterpiece, giving myself permission to fail, or maybe even succeed. Towards that end, I started a new blog—just my writing, just to practice and have fun.
- Block Out The Noise: As Curly suggested, the “one thing” is for me to figure out. This means sometimes I have to shut out the noise and, for me, that means disengaging just a wee bit from the online world, so I can hear my voice, discover what I’m supposed to be doing.
- Listen To The Experts But…: There are a lot of gurus out there telling us how to build a better blog, how to attract a wider audience, how to be a better writer. Ironically, almost all of them, while touting their advice, encourage you, the writer, to be the one who finds your own voice, your originality, do whatever it is you do best. So while I listen to their advice, I try not to copy it. After all, they got where they are by finding and employing their one thing!
What about you? Have you found your one thing? What does that mean to you? How are you going about finding it? Or, if you found it, share with the rest of us a little of your journey. We are community. But we are made up of such creative, gorgeous individuality. What is your one thing?
We have talked so many times about our journeys, have we not?
As always, you write so beautifully. YOU inspire ME. Remind me to look at the world, and see it. I'm a forest kind of gal, and I often forget to take a closer look at the trees.
Enjoy this year. I did my journey this past year, and I regret nothing. Lost my fears, accepted the messages I feel I have to write, learned so very much.
I wish only the same for you, my very talented friend.
Loved this! City Slickers is one of my most favorite movies...I've watched it a million times! Great post, nicely written!
I like Olga's comment about changing your perspective on your story. It sometimes works. I had what I thought was a great idea for a character, an old lady, but I couldn't make the story go anywhere. My son, a Clive Cussler fan, said that I'd never sell that story unless I put some blood in it. So I added a serial killer, and the story took off--for me, at least, and for the few folks who have read it as an ebook. But I love it, had a good time writing it, and I'll continue to attempt to get my killer and my old lady into more peoples' consciousnesses. Romance is selling well, Julie--just a suggestion!
Olga, thanks for taking the time to write your thoughts. I've actually mulled this very thing over-- recreating the story from a different angle, adding completely new elements. If I do pick it up again, this is what I'll have to do.
Julie, sometimes, when you don't want to continue with some piece of your writing, it's your subconscious talking. It tells you something is seriously wrong with the piece. If you want to salvage it, you might try to re-work it completely, maybe from a different perspective or even in a different genre. Add another story to it and interweave both stories. For example: let's supposed your original piece is based on an illness. Add a mystery to it or a romance. Maybe a comic twist. Maybe add another protagonist or a pet. The story will change out of necessity. It might even become better. In any case, it will be a good writer's exercise and you might get a couple of magazine pieces out of it.
Hi Elisabeth-- what a kind comment to leave. Thank you.
Wonderful piece! Thanks for sharing your honesty and process.
I pretty much try to do the same in addition to drawing and taking care of my pets
Mark-- I absolutely never gave that angle a thought. You've given me something to chew on. The book was a story of a personal issue I struggle with (probably never a good basis for a novel) and so was cathartic to write about. If I were to continue with the book, I would need to really amp up the conflict and drama, and fictionalize the story quite a bit so that I didn't hurt anyone involved. But after I got it out there and let someone read it, I realized I didn't want to work on it anymore. Not sure what that all means. I'm going to mull on your observation quite a bit-- thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts w/ me.
Julie -
Something else struck me immediately upon reading your bit above - having no interest in a novel you spent a year on. That is a powerful admission, and I immediately think here is a core event or metaphor to a story. Who isn't familiar with the dynamic of being compelled to do something we must do and yet abhor (even if we're the one compelling ourselves)? As such, it's a universal experience, ripe for portrayal. Could that be the one thing: to dramatize that dynamic in a character's life? It's so rich with contradiction, which is a must for powerful stories. Just my dos centavos.
That's great Mark. You know the funny thing is, watching the little Youtube clip makes me want to rewatch it as well. It's been awhile. You've inspired me to do so! Thanks ;)
Julie - after reading your great start to this discussion thread, I "corralled" the City Slickers DVD from Netflix and watched it tonight. Yes, I saw it before, probably when it came out in '91, but what a great story. A masterful blend of humor, drama, wisdom, and truth. Would that we could always write like that. Anyway, I want to say thanks for sending me back to it, and for giving me a great evening.
Joanne, what a lovely comment. I appreciate the perspective you are offering so very much. Thank you.
Joanne, what a lyrical description of your fiction. It reminds me of my mom's writing. BTW: she is 79.
Thanks, Julie. Your blog made me ask what my one finger is, now that I'm almost eighty and still writing. When I thought about my past writing years, I realized that for me, that finger pointed at the woman on whose hand it was attached: me. As both an essayist and a fiction writer, my best work has come from my own contemplation of how the world and I see each other. At forty-five, a divorcee, I saw the world one way, an exciting, scary place and I was viewed a little like that by others. At seventy-eight, I'm neither frightened nor excited. I see the world with a softer focus. That's the way people look at me, too. My characters have changed from frantic young women to old ladies whose big adventure is cleaning graffiti off of mailboxes or wondering what she'll do when she wakes up to find her old husband dead in bed beside her. The writing is a fulfilling, the muse, gray-haired now, still whispering as she always has. The finger is still pointing this way.
Evalyn - I like "Working Days" too, and recommend it highly. I like the idea of the "one thing" too, but naturally, we all know it's a bit more complicated than that. Find that bliss, as Joe Campbell said, but I'd add: plant it in the middle of the bouquet that is your life.
Hey Mark: do not feel alone. Steinbeck and Harper Lee rock. I sometimes go back to Steinbeck's 'Working Days' to refresh myself by seeing how hard he found it to get through Grapes of Wrath and to marvel at how he found the music. The one thing! Good luck with your project. And again, loving this discussion of voice and the act of finding it and what makes a story's heart beat. Write on, everyone. Write on. Write, write & write some more!
Michelle-- Keying into what I enjoy reading was a big clue for me as well and like you, I'm learning a lot as I go along. I'm going to check out your blog-- thanks.
Karen-- thanks for your thoughts and sharing your personal journey. Congratulations on your book and all the very best to you in its sales! I'm sure it was a labor of intense love.
I think I found my one thing - for now :-) I love Romance and will stick with it, even if i flop between categories. It wasn't that i could write this genre well; it was that I love reading it too. My voice has always been there, but its the actually writing that i've been learning. Correct grammar, correct formatting, how not to make an unlikable character, etc etc. I am blogging about my journey as I learn in order to help others learn quicker then I did.
Hi Mark. I'm going to repeat something you said because I want to make sure I get it and others get it: But creation- that's the secret heart of the matter. That's the one thing.
Well said. Thank you.
Julie - it may well be there is a lot of sludge to dig through first before you find a diamond. Looking back, I can apply that metaphor to my writing career, many short stories that were beside the point, leading up to a novel that's anything but. Two of the writers I admire most are Harper Lee and John Steinbeck (I'm SO alone in that adulation). It eventually came to me that I wanted to put together an homage to their efforts in critiquing society, to emulate them and their work. The result has been six years or so spent developing a story, though if I'm really honest, it's a lifetime's concerns condensed into, umm, 170,000 words. The point is, even if it's never published, I have a story that moves and entertains me. There are long stretches I can't read aloud (heaven help the book tour, if one is to be). Am I happy then with the years spent on this? Yes. I've been on a ride with it that's filled my life with joy, sorrow, angst, hilarity, and peace. Publication? Sure, that'd be nice. But creation - that's the secret heart of the matter. That's the one thing.
Julie: I'm loving this discussion too! Focus is such a gift and the internet, family and self doubt such effective distraction! Okay. Wireless has to go off again! I find when I'm facing hard pages I really really really want to look away -- but it is so much better to focus and finish and stay on a project. Oh, and this was something I've done for myself (deep in mom-land with parents who need help too) I have one small calendar with only my writing project on it -- the time I've spent that week where I expected to be. When I open it -- away from my daily to do list -- I am often shocked by how little time I give myself to accomplish my number one thing! Finish my book. That alone has helped a ton. Ding. Back to work! And thanks again.
Evalyn- I'm loving this discussion. I feel like everyone who posts is bringing up something I need to remember and apply. You are spot-on about the internet. I need to practice your idea of the timer. It is so distracting, and like I said in the post, can be too much noise.
Julia- Hi, my friend. I'm so glad you do come back to writing because I'm looking forward to reading your book and hosting your book tour! Thanks for stopping by. :)
Great post, Julie! I think I *have* found my "one thing"... I always come back to writing (in whatever form), and I feel pretty lost when I'm not doing it. I hope this year I really zero in on the fiction writing as the one-thing-plus (is that possible?) when I self publish for the first time. I'm with you on the journey, my friend!