A Writer, a Translator, and a Wookie Walk into a Bar

[Day 22 of 365]:

It’s not the writing that scares me today.  It’s the exposure.  Of who I am and what I think.  I’m afraid people will read what I write and judge me….Because it’s true.  But more than feeling not good enough (because I’ve been working on that in one guise or another all my life), I think I feel scared to be the creator of conflict that wasn’t there before.

I have spent a large part of my life trying to not be the source of conflict.  And yet, here I am, writing — a task which I wholeheartedly believe requires a deep understanding of conflict.  Writers create conflict, manipulate conflict, build conflict, and resolve conflict using just the power of language.  And I’m not sure if I can do that.

Sometimes I feel like I’m standing in front of a dam, chipping away at it by throwing tiny pebbles and wondering if trying to break open the dam is really a good idea.  I call this the “Why Bother Monster.”  He’s got multicolored fur, like a Wookie who fell into a bin of wet finger paint; gestures wildly while he talks; and has a tendency to stick out his tongue to make rude noises behind my back.  Other than that, he’s very charming.

Writer’s Prompt: Don’t give in to Doubt.  Turn to face it, and ask the most important question any writer can ask, “Why?”

(I’m sitting in a booth with my most recent manifestation of writers block.  I think we just finished our first round of tequila shots with a second batch on the way. The Wookie licks a lemon and grimaces with joy.)
LV: So, dear Why-Bother-Monster, Can I call you WB for short? I would love to know why you think I should doubt my writing hopes, dreams and goals.  What are you trying to tell me?

Why Bother (WB): Ugh. Aren’t you tired yet? Wouldn’t you rather read a book than keep writing?  Nobody is reading this stuff anyway.  There are so many other writers that are better than you.  Don’t you already have a really good job?
(Side note when talking to your monsters:  Havi says monsters are always trying to help, even when they are being mean.  Try to give them the benefit of the doubt.)

LV: Hmm.  I think I need a translator because I only seem to hear mean things when you speak to me.
(A tall man in a gray pinstriped suit falls from the ceiling using his huge umbrella to slow his descent.  He orders a Roy Rogers, opens his briefcase and shoves a sparkly purple fish into his ear.  The tail wags at me before disappearing.)

Translator: Hello LV.  Garglaspaf WB.  Flinp’gra nasflam.  (Which apparently means “Please continue” in Finger Painted Wookie Speak.  I’ll describe the conversation using the translated version for brevity.)

WB: As I was saying.  You needn’t worry about all the other writers out there.  It’s just your time to suck.  Sucking in the beginning is perfectly natural.  But, I’m concerned that you’re trying to rush the learning process.

Translator: So you’re saying that LV needs to slow down and smell the bicycles? (I’m pretty sure WB meant roses, but you never know with a Wookie)

WB: Yes.  If you push too hard, you’ll forget to enjoy the act of writing and focus too much on being a writer.

Translator: I see.  So is writing better than being a writer?

WB: By taking action every day and building a writing habit you can develop an easy connection and regular communication with the MUSE.  This is much more important than worrying about being an instant best selling author.  The joy comes from creating — from writing a story that only you can write.
(Suddenly, I can understand everything the pink, blue, and orange haired creature says.)

LV: And I’m not really sure exactly what I want from writing.  I just know that I’m passionate about learning everything I can about it and then experimenting with all the amazing things I can create.  I guess I’ll just have to wait and see about the rest.

Translator: Well then, WB.  Please explain how we can soothe and comfort your concerns.

WB: That’s easy.  Just consider this…Why bother worrying about getting published yet?  Why bother worrying about who is reading your work or who might read your work in the future?  Why bother worrying about anything except how to write your stories just a little bit better each day and enjoying every minute of it?

Translator: Hence the phrase “Why Bother.”

WB: Bob’s plat trasslemonglet! (This apparently means “Bob’s your uncle” to gray pin striped translators with fish in their ears…which apparently means “Exactly!” to people who love to write, like me.)

And yes, I did just imagine a scene where Star Wars, Mary Poppins, and Larry Dent’s Babblefish merge into one crazy, yet decipherable discussion about writing for the pure joy of it.

Comments, links to your writing prompt results, and lurkers are always welcome.

There are no comments yet. Be the first and leave a response!

Leave a Reply

Wanting to leave an <em>phasis on your comment?

Trackback URL https://lirareneewriter.com/2010/07/22/a-writer-a-translator-and-a-wookie-walk-into-a-bar/trackback/