Today  I finished Brenda Ueland’s book, “If You Want to Write.”  I thoroughly enjoyed it. This book is somewhat unlike other writing books I have read.  Brenda’s theme focuses more on developing the freedom to write confidently, rather than outlining the rules of plot and character development.  This book is very encouraging to the aspiring writer/creative. She tells stories of her writing class students and how they overcame their fears and blocks on the road to becoming writers.  She uses samples of their writing to further illustrate her point.  I found it very interesting to read what other aspiring writers have written while they learned the craft.  She also demonstrates several helpful exercises to help jump-start or refine the writing process. I would certainly recommend this book to anyone who wants to tap into their creativity and put words on paper. However, one must keep in mind that Brenda Ueland has a somewhat flaky, new age tone throughout the book.  One example of this is that she repeatedly grants a sort of deity to things that are not God, such as the imagination or the conscience.  Take these quasi spiritual references with a grain of salt. Otherwise, it is a fantastic book about writing.

This week we took a trip to Nashville, TN.  During our stay, I found myself interacting with artists, musicians and wordsmiths.  How did I end up rubbing shoulders with so many “makers?”  I left pondering the question, “What does it mean to be a maker?”

I have always been drawn to people who make things, whether a person who combines strokes of color on a canvas or carefully arranges the contents of a room.  We are all created to be creators;  the mark of making thick upon our brows.  Some enjoy creating complex systems of numbers, or linking words together on a page, or strumming guitar strings in rhythm.  In my case, I love words.  I am fascinated by the art of story telling.

I suppose being a “maker” doesn’t have to fit into any particular mold.  I’m learning to accept my limitations and embrace my gifts.  I’m slowly becoming more comfortable in my own skin.  This sort of thinking helps the making of a maker.

I sometimes lack confidence in my ability to create, though I know my desire to make things that are true and beautiful continually grows stronger and more urgent.  My new friend, Katy Hutson, encouraged me with a great quote from Annie Dillard’s The Writing Life.  “It is no less difficult to write sentences in a recipe than it is to write sentences in Moby-Dick.  So you might as well write Moby-Dick.”  I guess I can’t argue with that.

On a similar note, Anne Lamott says in Bird by Bird that a writer writes because she must.  I feel deep in my bones that this assessment is true for writers and artists alike.  We create because we are wired to do so.

Being surrounded by creative, brilliant, and incredibly down-to-earth people inspires me to create with confidence and diligence.  It also forces me to take an honest look at how I’m pursuing the art of life.   Therein lies the secret of the makers.