Minutes to Memories

Realizing I had significant down time coming this week, I made plans to finish a project a member of my church family had asked me to do as a favor. And even though the ongoing challenge of readjusting my seating position has dominated my life over the last couple of days, I have completed this project nonetheless.

This project required me to put on my editing cap, but since I don't have enough editing skills to get a cap, I had to make one of my own. My friend has worked for years now on his novel, and he begged me to get out my red pen and grade his 141-page creation.

He asked me, I'm sure, because I have actually written three books, though the literary critics lined up to each one in unison and offered standard rejection letters. But I have written three books in spite of the reception. Along the way, I've learned the tiniest bit about English grammar. Plus, I'm a very good speler (just kidding!).

Anyway, he asked me to do this for him, and for the past two days I have been making notes throughout his part science fiction, part historical fiction, and part Christian novel. And I finished today.

And I am honored to have been asked.

There are a few standard New Year's resolutions - stop smoking, stick to a diet, start an exercise program - and not far off the Big Three comes the resolution to "write a novel." And I think I know why: I think we all have a story to tell. The funny thing is that so few of us ever really try to tell it.

I wonder why? I would suspect that many of the people that know my friend from church would be surprised to know that he had written this novel, not that he isn't talented and intelligent, but simply because most people whose day job involves manual labor aren't expected to be writing books. But why not? I would think that the "real people" of the world would tell the most fascinating stories, wouldn't you?

So for those of you out there who haven't tried your hand at writing, I say you should give it a shot. Not because you will be showered with fame and fortune (although if you do end up in said shower, remember who inspired you to write, okay?), but simply because there's a story in you worth sharing. Order one of these EXCELLENT books to get you started (Anne Lamott's Bird by Bird or Stephen King's On Writing), and let out that story that only you can tell.

I'll want a copy if no one else does, but I do hope you have a better editor friend in mind because I am NOT having another vasectomy.