Wellsir, first I must tell you that there will be no column next week so you will have to look elsewhere for scintillating conversation and educational reading. OK, even if you got this you would have to…nevermind. There is something I have to do and you cannot do it with me. Despite what some get one. AND… NO, a monkey’s brain would not help.
But first (as they say on TV), after a lifetime of procrastinating, I have gotten a good start at writing a book. Yessir, an actual book with pages and lots and lots of words. Most of the words I know so I feel comfortable using them. Just as many of you, I have wanted to write a book most of my life. I have written this column for over twenty-five years which, if all were combined, would be several novels. Again, just as many of you, I have said, “I do not have the time!” Wellsir, I do not have much time left so it is either this time or never.
Herself and I joined the Broken Arrow Senior Citizens Center for one reason and we got a calendar of events. On that calendar was Novel Writing discussion group. I called the leader and found it was an open group, small, and welcoming. I was told each participant brought two pages to read and the group would critique and discuss that. Yessir, I brought two pages, top to bottom single spaced with minimum margins which would be the equal of at least four pages of formatted text. The leader didn’t mention that it should be properly formatted and I didn’t have a clue – until I got there. Yes, I did learn my lesson and have not punished them again.
This is one of the most interesting things I have done. One has copies made, reads his/her work and the group writes on the paper copy and gives verbal comments. There are only six or seven people who come regularly but there is some good stuff going on. The diversity of the subjects and writing makes it worth going to hear. Not everyone is a native-born, native-raised Oklahoman and that is a good thing.
One man is from New York City so you can imagine his life experiences are vastly different from someone who was raised in Henryetta, Oklahoma. The population of the entire state of Oklahoma was less than the population of that one city when I was growing up. Another lady evidently was an English teacher as she knows all about predicate nomatives and conjunctions and comma faults and all type of stuff most of you ignored in school because “we ain’t never gonna use that.”
Wellsir, yes you do: Everyday. I am sorry that Mrs. Bowles and Mr. Clay are not here to see that one of the most distractible students they had is finally beginning to catch on.
One man has finished his book but comes anyway. The NYC man writes about NYC and that is of great interest to this country boy. His verbal comments are even more interesting and I think he leaves out incidents he knows about. That would come under the heading of self-protection. The leader lady is writing a novel about the USA after the apocalypse. It is a different take on this subject and if it doesn’t sell then there is a major flaw in the writing industry.
If you think of mankind’s history, he/she has always been trying to find a way to communicate information, feelings and/or thoughts to others. Mankind has also been trying to pass on his gained knowledge in a manner others will understand. Think of the cave pictures and the Australian rock drawings. Both are an unbelievable thousands of years old. Books, as we know them, are only an eye-blink old. Digital books are not even an eye blink. People of my class, in the not too long ago, were not allowed to learn to read.
It was considered dangerous for we peasants to read as it would give us ideas. Peasants may think they were as good as the ruling class and want a proper living. Judging by all the proposed state and national budgets, it appears that many of our current politicians have that attitude.
Especially here in Oklahoma.