The Path

Here's a great Buddhist quote that applies to writing. At the word "spiritual" in the first sentence, simply insert "writing."

"When we start out on a spiritual path we often have ideals we think we're supposed to live up to. We feel we're supposed to be better than we are in some way. But with this practice you take yourself completely as you are. Then ironically, taking in pain - breathing it in for yourself and all others in the same boat as you are - heightens your awareness of exactly where you're stuck."~Pema Chodron

I could take this quote in numerous ways. First, so much about writing is living up to some ideal--imagined or real. How many times have you had a scene in your head, written in, and wanted to pound your head against the keys because it just doesn't live up to what's inside your brain?

Second, roam cyberspace. There's lots of advice about what you are "supposed" to do. Heck, I post stuff like that all the time. You're "supposed" to ruthlessly rid your manuscript of back story, for example. But there's a difference between "we're all in this same boat of pain" and "I am the writing Buddha and therefore I have inherently more wisdom that you are--and you must obey me." Writers with that delusion are out there in the blogosphere. I stopped visiting one site because of a sense that it was never about the "boat." If you know anything about Buddhism, you also know that it would be impossible for Buddha to speak in such a manner. He even said that no matter what wisdom he imparted, it was all experiential. All teaching must be verified experientially by the student. When you get five rejections because you have too much back story, maybe then you'll believe me. I've even worked with writers and had to resist the very un-Buddhist quality of saying "I told you so" a few times when they got their rejections back. (Only because they were so stubborn.)

In the end, you have to write. Get in the boat. You can read about writing all you want. You can even blog about it. But you have to do it. A lot.

The other part of this quote is an acceptance element ("take yourself completely as you are"). I consider that portion of it, as it pertains to writing, as finding your voice. I write in a distinct way. I want to be a better writer in my distinct way--I don't want to write like someone else. My general voice, in my writing, is sardonic. Sarcastic. Wry. Snappy in the dialogue. When I stray too far from it . . . I generally flounder. As dark as it was, I thought parts of The Roofer were really funny. Uncle Two Times may have beat murder raps twice, but he also walked like a Weeble.

Acceptance as you are, though, doesn't mean you can't get better as you are (i.e., in your own voice). That's the boat we're all in together. That is our shared "pain."

Thoughts? Are you in the boat? On the path?