The process of writing is unique to every author. Like artists—with their special paints, paper, and brushes—writers use whatever makes them comfortable. Stephen King swears by #2 pencils. Neil Gaiman loves his Waterman fountain pen—even changes the color every day. Simone de Beauvoir was infatuated with the Schaefer Snorkel pen. Me… like my hero, King, I am gone over the #2 pencil and legal pad, but you must have a commercial sharpener that keeps the point perfectly lethal. Remember: the pen is mightier than the sword! Pat Conroy and James Patterson recommended, “The Elements of Style” as their holy grail reference. It has become my bible. Do these tools make us better…? Maybe.
So now that I have my tools, I just need to write—practice my passion. What better place to start than some short stories about my high school BAT fraternity buddies? Mischief and mayhem—believe me—lots of good material. I was president, so it was my job to keep the future doctors, lawyers, college presidents, and movie moguls out of the principal’s office and sometimes jail. Those days of yesteryear in the early sixties were pure. Everything was made of cotton. There were only three TV stations. Kids didn’t kill kids—maybe an occasional punch in the nose, but there were no guns. Boners were measured in hours—not inches—and “Rock and Roll was Here to Stay!”
Just write!
I wrote a novel. You can buy it on Amazon: Altered State of Affairs