Writing the great American novel....Not!

I keep thinking that I should write a book but then I drift off and can't think of what to write about. My life hasn't been very significant but I have talked to so many people who have stories to tell. My own family has many things that would make compelling reading but I don't know the whole story or even all of the stories that might make up a good book. My parents came up through the Depression, there have to be some insights in all of that. My mother had 10 brothers but only two are still alive. I guess I should go see my Uncle Lloyd and write a bunch of his memories down so that some day I can piece it all together. Somehow that seems a bit final, in relation to him, anyway. He's no spring chicken, though. Actually, he reminds me of my mother so much, it is hard to concentrate. His daughter says I remind him of my mother. Sort of a standoff there, eh? Anyway, I guess I know enough to start something fictional but I don't think you have to be half so talented to write non-fiction. That would be my edge, because without trials and practice, I wouldn't be able to pull off the dialog and pacing needed to write fiction. As with other things in my life, I may be able to get the bare bones set up and done, but it would never be a top notch effort. Therefore, I would be able to say, "I wrote a book" but it would never win any awards or sell a million copies. Just the effort to write it isn't enough. It has to be good. That kind of thinking holds me off, as it is meant to do. No time, no subject, no "gumption" as they call it.  Hell, it's all I can do to think of a blog post, when it comes right down to it. Some days I can't even do that!

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[John Blair]

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