With Eyes Open
Hello, writers! This is my first post as a regular contributor for Write Anything. I wrote a guest post back in March 2010, but that doesn’t count because you weren’t stuck with me for more than a day. Now you are. Cue my evil laugh.
How lucky that the theme this month is The Future, because that’s where we’re going together whether we like it or not. As part of my introduction I’d like to ensure you have a useful perspective of the future, and to do that I have to remind you of three things.
One I’ve already mentioned, which is that the future is coming whether we want it to or not. Here we are, in it: the future of a moment ago. And there it is, still coming: flying at us at a regular unstoppable pace, brushing aside our hopes and presenting nothing but sterile facts, immutable, unchangeable, regardless of our expectations. It’s something we’re used to but it’s good to remember, even just for the angst. Writers love angst. It’s like oxygen to us.
Two, the future is sneaky. Sure, you know it’s coming, but you only notice it when something enormous happens. Something to mark the difference between then and now. A birth, a graduation, a marriage. Changing jobs, breaking up, the crash of a rejection—or an acceptance!— hitting your inbox. These things demonstrate the future the way an iceberg demonstrated the design of The Titanic.
And three—lovely, magical three, fairy tale number that never loses its charm—none of that matters because we live in right now. It doesn’t matter that we can’t stop time. It doesn’t matter that we didn’t realize a year had gone by until it was tax season again. We always have the power because we are always creating our own future from moment to moment, this keystroke and that carriage return. Little things that create everything.
The articles on Write Anything can’t help you with the enormous moments. The people here can’t finish your book or arrange for an acceptance from Weird Tales. But we can help you with the day-to-day things, perhaps the right keystroke, the most effective carriage return. How to tell your story, and how to maybe tell it better. We can remind you that you have to write to have written, and having written is the best thing in the world. We can inspire you to take the power for yourself, to move into the future knowing that you did it eyes open, scanning the horizon for any sign of an iceberg. That much, we can do.
I should mention that I’m a librarian. Yes, sometimes I shush people, but here at Write Anything I’d prefer to go the opposite route and help you raise your voice. I love to recommend great stories to my library users and I’d love to be able to recommend yours.
I have long been inspired and impressed by this community. Both writers and commenters are generous with their ideas, their feedback, and their encouragement. The Write Anything vision statement describes an inclusive, cross-genre, global community, and I’m proud to be a part of that. I have a few skills, some ideas and experience, and I want to share. I’m happy and humbled to be one of the little things that might make the future a kinder place to be.
Here it comes. Eyes open, everyone.
Welcome aboard, Jen! Glad to be heading into the future with you here! I’m sure it will be an inspiring and eye-opening adventure!
Thanks Rob.
Hi Jen, I have read several of your short stories, you have a high standard of writing, and the ability to switch successfully from genre to genre.
Good luck for the future, and any future projects you undertake.
That’s kind of you to say, Steve, and thank you–good luck to you, too!
Great intro! I’m always amazed at how wonderfully supportive the writing community can be. It’s been a genuine pleasure to read, listen and learn from so many others.
It’s really amazing, isn’t it? I’m glad to see you here, Li.
Welcome aboard, Jen! Glad you’re joining us.
Thanks, Icy!