I want to learn to write.
I want to craft words and people and feelings and stories in ways that affect people the same way I can be affected. There is nothing more beautiful than a phrase that so carefully strings together just the words to express some obscure feeling, words that you never hear but are so precise you well up with joy or pathos (there’s one right there) or the feeling that you’re connected to everyone else in the universe.
I love language.
I’ve always wanted to write, and I used to think I was good at it. I realize I’m not now. I’m not a good storyteller. That’s the part that matters, and that’s the part I’m no good at. I know some of the words I love, and I think my voice has a weak, vague pulse (that’s hard to find), but I can’t tell a story for shit.
Storytelling seems like something, though, that even if you don’t have an innate talent for it, you could develop some facility or skill with if you practiced.
I don’t know. I don’t think writing here is enough, whatever it is.
How does one learn to write?
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
You wanna learn craft and how to piece together a neat phrase in order to tell a fancy story, you can read books for that. You can learn that. Go to Barnes and Noble and take your pick.
The real fuel is the actual story itself. When you’ve got something you really wanna say, when you’ve got a tale you really want to tell, you’ll tell it. And nothing will stop you.
And by the way, your blogs, your posts…. seems like you’re a pretty darn good writer to me. Just pick a story and tell it. Remember the best stories are never written, they’re re-written.
Thanks, Patrick. I’ve never heard that last line about the best stories being re-written… Really good words to live by.
I’ve always wanted to be a good storyteller, too. I just started attempting to tell Andrew bedtime stories and I suck. Have you ever been to a storytelling festival? It’s on my to-do list. I admire a good storyteller.
I only recently found out there are actual storytelling events. I can’t imagine what you’d do at a festival or workshop, but I’m sure storytelling can be learned. Just seems like some people are born storytellers (my grandma), and some aren’t. I wish it came easy.