Stick Shift

The "stick" in my Father's Jeep

One of the new adventures in life that I'm taking is learning to drive a manual transmission. Laugh if you want, but it's hard! I grew up with my father always having a manual transmission in it; I had thought that driving his Jeep would be easy. It wasn't. When I got my first car (which I still have!), it was an automatic. I love driving that car, especially when I put the cruise on and the car just drives itself, I get tingles! Ok, enough of me talking about cars. While learning about the driving of the manual transmission I have realized how similar it is to writing.

When I first started to drive the manual I couldn't believe how many things there were to getting the car to go! Not only did I have to watch the road, watch the speedometer, look at the mirrors and steer the car, I also had to feather the clutch, press on the gas-but not too much!, shift into second, don't get stuck in neutral, press the clutch again and shift into third! It's tiring just thinking about all that.

Now let's get to how this analogy is going to connect.

When I first started to write about three to four years ago I had thought only about the plot and characters. Pshh, what else was there in a novel? Theme? What's that? Motives? Huh? Character depth? Who? I could go on and on, but I won't. I learned a lot about writing quickly after I had allowed my friend to read it who is amazing at writing and grammar, but she won't actually do any of that (it's to frivolous or something...).

I learned that writing is like learning the manual- it takes time, practice and a whole lot of patience. There's more than just the break and gas pedals. There are mirrors, and engines, and gears, and window washer things, and so much more. In writing there's more too. It's not just putting the characters in a situation, it's having them react to events the way that you or I would, it's giving them a back ground, giving them a future and hopes and dreams, it's giving them life. The plot is the same way. It needs turns and twists and bumps and bruises, everyone is not going to be happy in life, so neither should they in a plot. In writing there is also this lovely thing called 'setting'. Ever heard of it? It needs some attention as well. People need to see what the characters see, feel the grass, taste the salty air, hear the waves, smell the fishy aroma of the ocean! Ahh, the beach:)

I think that you all get where I'm going with this. Writing is hard, and so is driving a manual transmission. I'll leave you with this:

DRIVE SAFE and WRITE WELL, oh and DON'T DIE!


So, before I leave completely I have a question to ask you! What things in life have you seen a connection with writing? Anything else in you're life? I'd love to hear/read from you!!!