Wednesday, January 4, 2012

A Book?

His blog said, "I'm just an average Joe"....and I thought when I read that, "what a wonderful opening line" for the book he was speaking about writing...or not writing. I could totally understand the 'yes, I might...no, I can't' thinking about composing such a work.

For years, probably since I was a teenager who wrote sloppy love poems with some truth and some fiction involved, people who have read my words have suggested that I put them  together in a book form. It appears that many can relate, in some way, to the feelings evoked by the words I put into prose or poetic form. Someone once told me that my words touch places in the heart that everyone feels. I suppose that's why some authors and poets make a great living at their craft, but there are also many out there that people just 'don't get'. That's why there's a popular term for them....'starving artists.'

Perhaps the reason I've never laid it all out there and put those feelings into the hands of the public is that I don't believe in myself enough. Or, maybe it is that I'd rather keep some of those feelings in some private place, allowing only those I trust with my emotions to read them. Then, of course, there is the fiction that has been injected into much of my writing. That needs to be considered, because if it is taken as fact, there could be judgement cast upon my character....or my sanity....depending upon what is being read and who is reading it.  There's also the issue that was brought up by my blogger friend...whether I have anything interesting to write about. That may be the most crippling of all excuses for not writing a book for public consumption.

After all...."I'm just an average Joe...."