Response- Ron Carlson Writes a Story

“Ron Carlson Writes a Story” is a simplistic easing into the world of writing fiction. It doesn’t beat around the bush on what to do, though it did occasionally use artsy vocabulary. Usually when I read a book that teaches how to write I get stressed out. Mental pressure begins to sink in. I feel if I’m not writing all the time than I’m not really a dedicated writer, and Ron Carlson’s book did not make me feel this way. Instead it gave me straightforward motivation through example. I appreciated him admitting that he’s often tempted to runaway from his writing. I want to also bail when I get stuck. I enjoyed how he shows how to train your mind to hang in there. “Stay in the room” was good line to repeat as often is he did. It’s a phrase that sticks with you and you can’t help but remember it when you’re having the time-for-coffee attack. Your ability to stay in the room is controlled by yourself. Bottom line, you decide whether or not to go get that cup of coffee; no ones pulling the string and the devil does not make you do it. Once you plant down to write it’s up to you to see it through to the final punctuation. I enjoyed the line on page 81 “Stretch the legs, that’s it, and then while I’m in the kitchen, peek outside at the other world, see what’s happening, breathe the larger air, witness the passing traffic, every car full of writers who have already given up.”. This line hits home with the severity of seeing a story through. There’s no easy way out of writing. It’s work. Either you commit to it or not. This book offers a good look at the challenges presented when trying to get through a story. It can be a frustrating experience. There will be more than one moment when you want to leave, but if you hang in there your story will reveal its potential, just as “The Governor’s Ball” did for Ron Carlson. You can’t count on the story to do all the work, but you can count on it to give you hints on what is supposed to and what will happen. It’s your job as an author to observe and listen.