'Tis the Day Before Christmas, and I Need a Writing Warmup
I usually do my writing warmup by hand. It's something I learned many years ago from the book, The Artist's Way, and not only does it get my creative energies focused, but it's also helped me work through some pretty thorny issues at times.
Today I'm trying to get the next-to-last chapter started on my latest mathematical biography, Ada Lovelace: Programming the Future. Proper biographers research their subjects for years before they start writing, but I'd never be able to do a set of six books that way, so I'm researching as I go. It's kind of like hacking out a new trail through the wilderness. I know my destination, and I have an overall idea of how to get there, but I don't know about the unexpected twists and turns, boulders, fallen trees, and other small details along the way. Not until I get there. At the start of each new chapter, I have to scope out the terrain a bit before I can move forward again.
In another example of "You would never see this on American TV," the Japanese have a whole genre of manga, anime, and drama focusing on the question of what it means to be an artist. One drama that's been running lately tells the story of a young man working at an advertising firm, who wishes he had the raw talent of various "geniuses" he sees around him. No matter how hard he works, though, he can never reach their level. I can relate. Around the time I finished Unswept Graves, I fully realized what I'd been suspecting for a while, that I didn't have what it took to achieve either "mainstream" or "literary" success. I would never be J.K. Rowling, nor would I ever win some big literary award. As of Episode 8 in the drama, though, the aspiring artist main character hadn't yet realized the solution I came up with.
If you can't make it in the mainstream, then look for a branch that suits you. Find your niche and fill it, even if it means building that place from scratch.
I may not be able to make it in the mainstream, but I can do things that not many other people can. After watching Carl Sagan, James Burke, and other science explainers all these years, I've found that I can do it, too. What's more, I'm a lot more willing to dive into the mathematical weeds and guide people through them. One of my research books for The Probability Pen Pals described Blaise Pascal's method for determining probability as "not an easy matter," and then skipped on to Pierre de Fermat's much simpler method. That wasn't good enough for me. After going through Pascal's treatise, I decided it wasn't that complicated, so in my book, I went through it step-by-step - for middle schoolers! There will always be room for me to improve, of course, but I already know I can do it, so I'm going to do it.
And now, with Trump and the Republicans seemingly bent on destroying civilization through climate change, I have a reason to do it. The kids I write for will be the ones who have to clean up our mess, and I want to give them a few of the tools they'll need to do it.
And you, too, should find your niche and fill it, whatever kind of niche that may be. Each person has a gift to give the world. What's yours?
Okay, time for me to get going. I have a few hours before this evening's Christmas Eve festivities. Have a merry time, everyone, whatever you're doing!
Today I'm trying to get the next-to-last chapter started on my latest mathematical biography, Ada Lovelace: Programming the Future. Proper biographers research their subjects for years before they start writing, but I'd never be able to do a set of six books that way, so I'm researching as I go. It's kind of like hacking out a new trail through the wilderness. I know my destination, and I have an overall idea of how to get there, but I don't know about the unexpected twists and turns, boulders, fallen trees, and other small details along the way. Not until I get there. At the start of each new chapter, I have to scope out the terrain a bit before I can move forward again.
In another example of "You would never see this on American TV," the Japanese have a whole genre of manga, anime, and drama focusing on the question of what it means to be an artist. One drama that's been running lately tells the story of a young man working at an advertising firm, who wishes he had the raw talent of various "geniuses" he sees around him. No matter how hard he works, though, he can never reach their level. I can relate. Around the time I finished Unswept Graves, I fully realized what I'd been suspecting for a while, that I didn't have what it took to achieve either "mainstream" or "literary" success. I would never be J.K. Rowling, nor would I ever win some big literary award. As of Episode 8 in the drama, though, the aspiring artist main character hadn't yet realized the solution I came up with.
If you can't make it in the mainstream, then look for a branch that suits you. Find your niche and fill it, even if it means building that place from scratch.
I may not be able to make it in the mainstream, but I can do things that not many other people can. After watching Carl Sagan, James Burke, and other science explainers all these years, I've found that I can do it, too. What's more, I'm a lot more willing to dive into the mathematical weeds and guide people through them. One of my research books for The Probability Pen Pals described Blaise Pascal's method for determining probability as "not an easy matter," and then skipped on to Pierre de Fermat's much simpler method. That wasn't good enough for me. After going through Pascal's treatise, I decided it wasn't that complicated, so in my book, I went through it step-by-step - for middle schoolers! There will always be room for me to improve, of course, but I already know I can do it, so I'm going to do it.
And now, with Trump and the Republicans seemingly bent on destroying civilization through climate change, I have a reason to do it. The kids I write for will be the ones who have to clean up our mess, and I want to give them a few of the tools they'll need to do it.
And you, too, should find your niche and fill it, whatever kind of niche that may be. Each person has a gift to give the world. What's yours?
Okay, time for me to get going. I have a few hours before this evening's Christmas Eve festivities. Have a merry time, everyone, whatever you're doing!
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