I am truly an expert when it comes to…
Nothing.
Seriously, folks — I am not even in the realm of ‘expert’ when it comes to anything. Mostly, I’m just making it up as I go, trying to do the best that I can.
There are certainly things I am good at — like crochet, and coptic binding, and scrambling eggs — but I sort of live in this state of always “becoming.” I’m always trying to learn more about something, become better in some way.
And I think that’s a good thing. I remember my high school viola instructor talking with me about the discipline of music. He said you’re never really finished learning an instrument; there is always something more to learn.
My fiance reminded me this weekend that I am pretty good at getting Davon into trouble. I confess, I enjoy throwing as much at him as I possibly can. In anything I’ve ever written, Davon is truly one of my favorite characters. He has had a ridiculously unfair shake of things (mea culpa!), and somehow he keeps going. So yes, I suppose I’m a bit of an expert when it comes to causing heartache and struggle for Davon.
But even at that — the work of writing is not an area in which I am an expert. Thinking up roadblocks to throw in a fictional character’s way is one thing; writing that story is another.
The important piece to any of it, I think, is precisely what my music teacher said. Keep learning. We learn by practice — by both success and failure. When we see what does not work, we learn what might work. And you don’t have to be an expert to learn how to do something better or more efficiently; you just have to be seeking the answers. They will come.
On that note… I’m off to throw some monsters at Davon… see if I can get him to run home scared. Wish me luck!
From the shores of Wicket Lake,
Good luck to you … and to Davon! Sounds like he’s going to need it!