It’s easy to maintain an attitude of gratitude with my proverbial cornucopia overflowing with ample food, good health and the love of those I cherish most. I’m doubly fortunate, though, as a retired newspaper journalist turned mystery novelist. I write every day. Flex my creative muscles. Best of all, I continue to pursue my lifelong passion to tell compelling stories.
In this season of thanksgiving, here are a few of the many blessings I count as a novelist:
- The English language and its more than 170,000 words. That’s a lexicon large and varied enough to supply the right word for every occasion without settling for the almost right word. It’s a distinction Mark Twain compared to the difference between lightning and lightning bug.
- Writing that conveys in clear and convincing fashion exactly what you want to convey. The vivid description that immerses readers in a scene. Authentic dialogue that not only propels stories forward, but also reveals character. What Ernest Hemingway described as “the truest sentence you know.”
- The good idea that materializes out of thin air and twists your story in a way you never expected. As a pantser — someone who eschews planning and writes instead by the seat of his pants — I discover how my plot unfolds the same time as my characters. I’m invariably surprised and supremely grateful for something more interesting than anything I could have devised ahead of time.
- A good editor with a keen eye for details, a deep understanding of what makes stories good and a collaborative approach. I’m blessed beyond measure to work with a skillful and experienced editor who makes my writing better than I ever thought possible. She’s both muse and mentor in providing inspiration and guidance.
- The camaraderie of writers who’ve been there, done that and understand the persistence required to write fiction. I meet weekly with an eclectic group of writers as talented as they are supportive. They criticize, but always in constructive ways. There’s an implicit admission we all struggle, but also the assurance we struggle together.
- Beta readers who provide valuable feedback on manuscripts before they’re published. My mystery novels feature an amateur sleuth in a history professor. Imagine how fortunate I am, then, to know a real history professor willing to share his time and expertise to read my pages and tell me what I’m doing right and wrong.
- Novels that offer proof of what’s possible, set examples to emulate and provide motivation to keep working on my craft. That makes me grateful to Ray Bradbury, C.J. Box and Robert McCammon. That’s not to mention Mark Stevens and Kevin Wolf.
- Google and other internet resources that make research easy and provide quick answers to strange questions at the push of a few buttons. I’m sure I’m not the only mystery novelist who wonders how fast corpses decompose in cold water or what poisonous mushrooms grow in Colorado.
I’d love to add to my list literary agents who respond promptly to queries. While I’m at it, how about a three-book deal with a big-five publisher that includes a six-figure advance?
For now, though, I’ve got more than enough for which to be thankful and maintain my attitude of gratitude.