The Need For Speed!

 By Mark W. Danielson

A new television commercial unexpectedly sent me back to my early teen years.  In the commercial, a police officer steps off his motorcycle, slowly approaches the stopped vehicle, and asks the kid in his kiddie car, “Do you know how fast you were going?”  Whatever happened after that is lost because in my mind, I was delivering newspapers again in the East SF Bay Area.  At the end of my route, I sped down very steep hill as fast as my bike would take me, hoping the radar cop that frequently parked at the bottom before a great curve would pull me over for speeding.  I have no idea how fast I was actually going, but my bike was banked way over as it took the curve.  Of course, the cop would never have caught me because I would have disappeared up a different hill and down a side street had he ever given chase.  Then again, a wise cop would have realized from my flapping newspaper pack that I was a paper boy and would be repeating my act at same bat time, same bat place, the very next day. 

Two things came from this recollection.  First, for unexplained reasons, I have always felt “the need for speed”, so famously scripted into the movie TOPGUN.  When I was delivering newspapers, I was already flying airplanes.  My paper boy job only allowed one flight per month, but it was worth every cent to get airborne.  Many years later I found myself flying fighter jets a few feet off the deck as fast as they would go and did graduate from TOPGUN.  In all my years since, I have never lost my joy of flying low and fast, but I assure you I don’t do any of that as an airline pilot.

The other thought from this television commercial was how quickly this scene with the cop transported me back in time.  In novels, this is called good writing.  Whether intended or not, a well-written scene or line has the potential to flash readers back to their own experiences.  Although some lines may open old wounds, others may bring smiles or tears of joy.  Either way, if it envelopes the reader then your story has become theirs.  Isn’t that the definition of successful writing? 

Writing Basics

By Mark W. Danielson

A recent speaking engagement to a group of aspiring writers took me back to the basics of writing. Upon hearing their introductions, I soon realized these people were members of a critique group who were interested in hearing what published authors had to say.
Some in attendance were writing non-fiction while others were working on fiction. Still others were writing their memoirs. All wanted to know how to find a good editor or a good publisher. My best recommendation was for them to review blogs such as this one that include advice on those and other writing related topics.

Following this meeting, I decided to summarize some basic writing principles for the benefit of anyone who is seeking similar information. I’m hopeful that other authors will chime in with their own recommendations or experiences. Having said that, I’ll proceed with some writing basics.

First and foremost, no one speaks to wanna-be writers better than Stephen King in his book, On Writing. King truly wants writers to benefit from his experience and even offers them an exercise that if you follow precisely, he or a member of his staff will offer their critique. To me, this book is as important as a thesaurus, dictionary, or style guide. If you don’t already own it, buy it. You’ll also learn some interesting things about King.

A key point made by every successful author is that writers must also read. As King bluntly says, if you don’t have time to read, then you don’t have time to write. How can you understand different writing styles if you haven’t read them? I’ve put many books down because I couldn’t force myself to finish them. Since I never want anyone doing that with my own books, I analyze what it was that turned me off in a particular story and learn from it. Conversely, if I like a story, then I try to determine why the pages kept turning.

People frequently tell me they would like to write, but don’t know what to write about. Certainly, everyone has at least one story in them, and that’s the story of their life. One of my fellow pilots just told me about his surviving a plane crash during an air show. He was one of two that survived. The other four died. His story was a remarkable testament about flying and survival. Burned over forty percent of his body, he made a remarkable recovery and was flying again in four months. Since them, he has performed countless blacked out landings with the Air Force in various parts of the world and is currently flying as an airline pilot. No one will ever know about stories like his unless they are spoken or written down. Writing your memoirs is a great way to re-live memories while developing a suitable writing style. The key is to write the story as if you were telling it at a family reunion. Don’t throw in an overabundance of detail for it will slow the pace. Deduct ten points for every unnecessary adjective.

Regardless of what you write about, you must read it out loud during the editing process. Doing so catches the majority of your grammatical errors and also flags bad dialogue. What may look good on paper may not sound believable when read aloud. Whatever you write about, keep it real.

Accuracy is equally important in both fiction and non-fiction because inaccuracies dissolve credibility. In non-fiction, inaccuracies may also warrant libel suits. No author can afford either.

There are plenty other important items worth passing on. Published authors, remember what it was like when you first started. Think about your mentors’ best advice and please offer it generously.

A Most Important Story

By Mark W. Danielson

Lately I’ve been writing a story whose characters and events stir my brain. I started it long ago and lost it somewhere along the way. The story I’m referring to is my own, and I am writing it because somewhere in the distant future, my family might want to know more about me. Ancestry.com and a new television show of the same nature are proof that at some point most people want to know their roots. Consider how little you know about your parents and you will understand the importance of documenting your own history. To help get you started, think of something that inspired you. Mine begins this way:

“You can because you think you can. These powerful words were written on a Hawk Flight ready room wall at Reese Air Force Base, and seeing them made me realize that had always been my philosophy. Be it confidence or arrogance, I have always believed I could accomplish whatever I set my mind to. Whatever success I have achieved has been a direct result of this mindset . . .”

As I started writing, I began to remember details such as this incident that occurred to me in seventh grade:

. . . Admittedly, I was no angel growing up, but I generally avoided fights. But one time a fellow classmate kept hassling me in the school cafeteria. I warned him that if he didn’t shut up, I’d jam my cornbread down his throat. He said, “I dare you,” and so I did, grinding it in with the palm of my hand. He was so astonished, it ended right there . . .”

If you’re still hesitating, then consider this recent news story:

“It’s been decades since the baby of her family became a grandmother. But as Drina Welch Abel spoke of four grandsons now flying planes for a living, the 83-year-old former wing walker’s memories drifted back to times only gray photos can reach.”

Imagine the rich history that would have been lost had Drina’s story not been published.

Recently, a friend asked if I would look over his memoirs. I agreed and starting reviewing it as if it was a manuscript. I soon determined that his book was perfect as it was because it is exactly what I am suggesting. Granted, it won’t win any awards, but that doesn’t matter. His family will benefit from it regardless.

It normally takes years to develop writing skills, so don’t get discouraged if things seem awkward at first. Force your way through this assignment as if you were writing for publication, but tell it as though you were speaking to a grandchild. When you think you’re done, then read every word out loud. In the end, writing this story may be your most satisfying one ever.

James Lee Burke Is One Scary Dude

by Ben Small

For the longest time, I didn't read James Lee Burke. A friend had portrayed his writing as describing frogs on a bayou log. "How many times can you describe that frog?" my friend said.

Then I read Burke. Had some spare time, and one of his books appeared as if by magic. Okay, so I was curious: What was so great about a frog - Budweiser ads excepted - that merited description in oh so many books?

Well, wow! That frog does dance.

Most "How To" books urge the writer not to go overboard on description, to keep the picture portrayals strictly relevant to the story, lest the reader get side-tracked or bored. And many writers violate that rule, and are shot as a consequence. But Burke gets away with using descriptions to fill about a third of his page count.

How does he do this?

Simple. He puts the reader in the bayou, swimming in the muck and quicksand, swatting the mosquitoes, sweating like Kirstie Alley in a sauna, and stinking like a Kathy Reichs' bloated-body-bugfest.

And evidently, a lot of people like to experience that: mucking, swatting, sweating and stinking. Or is it that they don't; that they want to experience Louisiana without actually going there? I'd say count me in that post-Katrina group except for one thing: the food. My god, the food. Why can't Arizona make a decent facsimile of Louisiana gumbo?

Well, I've gotten side-tracked here. The mere thought of Louisiana food always does that to me. Back to James Lee Burke and his writing.

What kind of nutbag is this guy?

Stephen King and other writing authorities suggest writing what you know. If James Lee Burke is doing that, I can learn from this man. More or less, every one of his books I can remember has featured a cast of people you never want to meet: degenerate preachers; evil rich bad guys who lust after pretty young and innocent things; pimps and prostitutes; druggies and boozers; tattoed boob-ettes; gunbulls; prison rapists; mobsters; gamblers; hitmen; crooked cops and politicians, and last but not least, Clete Purcell.

Can there be a more degenerate character than Clete? Forget the gut, the unhealthy glow of 220-over-140 blood pressure readings, and his pock-marked and sweaty sun-burned neck. This stuff just makes Clete look like Larry, the cable guy. No, Clete's got the personality to match these wonderful characteristics. Pop your fingers and count: 1) Clete's always drunk and sweaty; 2) He can be counted on to say and do the dumbest of things to all the wrong people; 3) He's killed a federal informant; 4) He enjoys drugs and prostitutes; 5) He was a corrupt N.O. cop; 6) He's murdered a bunch of people in a plane crash; 7) He's probably left more teeth in toilets than a dental convention, and 8) He's been known to attack with innovative weapons such as hammers, fully oiled frying pans, and tire irons. (These tools are just for novelty; Clete likes guns, knives, saps and baseball bats, too.) Clete actually enjoyed Vietnam, thought it was a hoot. So, of course, with all these charms, how can Clete help but be a babe-magnet? His latest conquest: an FBI agent. Smart guy, that Purcell: Go with a chick who can bust you for lying. What's next: Playing medicine ball with a hornet's nest?

But seriously, how could Clete not be a stud? He's so vulnerable, isn't he? What that poor man has had to endure. Clete's seen more hospitals than Doc Kildare. Poor S-O-B had his hand squashed in a car door; he's been smashed with enough iron to make him fearful of magnets; he's been shot so many times he could strain spaghetti, and in the latest Burke masterpiece Swan Peak he was tied to a tree, blindfolded, doused with gasoline and forced to listen to a Zippo's spinning wheel.

Doesn't Clete ever wonder if it's smart having Dave Robicheaux as a buddy? Seems to me the only thing more hazardous is having Jessica Fletcher around.

And what about Dave? Poor ole Dave Robicheaux stands for truth and justice, and it's cost Dave plenty. He's had wives murdered and a daughter threatened. He's been suspended numerous times, suspected of murder over and over. He's been beaten, stabbed, shot, haunted by Vietnam nightmares, and don't ask about his parental issues. The guy's a drunk. And is it any wonder? Dave's hollow inside; he's not just got worms in his head, they're full-bodied snakes. In Swan Peak, Dave - the good guy - threatens to throw a preacher into an airplane propeller. My goodness, we thought water boarding was bad. And, oh, did I mention, he married a nun? Dave best do some serious repenting.

So getting back to my point: If what Stephen King and others say about writing what you know is true, James Lee Burke is one spooky dude.

But can I learn from this man? Hell yes, about description and the depravity of man.

Do I want to be his pal?

Hmmm...

Why not. I just bought a Total Gym. Chuck Norris is my buddy.

On Writing

For those who enjoy writing fiction, I recommend Stephen King’s book, On Writing. It is rare for a best selling author to share his secrets, but Mr. King does that in this very personal and insightful hardback. As he puts it (referring to his childhood and near-fatal accident), “I came through all the stuff I told you about . . . and now I’m going to tell you as much as I can about the job . . . It starts with this: put your desk in the corner, and every time you sit down there to write, remind yourself why it isn’t in the middle of the room. Life isn’t a support-system for art. It’s the other way around.” If that doesn’t convince you that Mr. King is a guy who loves writing, nothing will. He couldn’t stop if he wanted to.

I don’t know of any other author who offers you free feedback on your writing. If you follow the writing assignment in On Writing, Mr. King, or one of his staff, will give you their impressions, no holds bared. His book is truly a bargain, and no, he knows nothing of my promoting it.

Mr. King encourages us to bang out our manuscripts and then hide them for months. Only after they’ve had time to ferment can you can view them objectively and determine whether its content is what you really intended. I’ve found this advice useful in all of my writing, whether it’s fiction, non-fiction, or business related. Repeatedly reading over the same document can give a myopic view.

The one thing Mr. King doesn’t emphasize in his book is reading your work aloud. Call it the acid test, but reading aloud reveals errors you may not otherwise find. It also confirms whether your dialogue is realistic. Be aware that even this may not reveal inaccuracies that will instantly destroy an author’s credibility. For example, one of Tom Wolfe’s books described El Cerrito, California, as a “warm and sunny” place. Clearly, Mr. Wolfe never spent any time there, for the fifteen years I spent growing up there, the fog headed straight for our house, spread, and then retreated in the reverse order. It’s been years since I read Mr. Wolfe’s story, but that inaccuracy is all I remember of the book. So, whatever you write, make sure it’s accurate and plausible. You only get one shot with your reader.

But writing novels is the easy part of the business. Becoming a household name is the result of dedication and a series of fortunate events. I accept that, and offer this final thought by comparing writing to ice skating. Ice skaters spend years perfecting their sport to make it look graceful. A well-written story flows effortlessly, like the ice skater. And while every author strives for Olympic Gold, only a few will place. But like the athletes, we must analyze any set backs and keep going. I’m sure Mr. King would agree.