THE GIFT OF WRITING

By Nick Rolon         

Writer Somerset Maugham, once said “If you can tell stories, create characters, devise incidents, and have sincerity and passion…It doesn’t matter dammit how you write.”

At 50 years old, I woke up one morning and decided I wanted to re-new a passion I left behind in college over 31 years ago. I had spent a majority of my life dedicated to my career, leaving little time for the important things in life. I hope this blog post will inspire others to “Just Write” – cards, letters, short stories, blogs, social media posts, novels, even a simple post-it note. 

I had been a member of our college newspaper staff and enjoyed contributing articles of social issues, school events, and our sports news. I had always enjoyed writing since elementary school but after college I stopped. That passion was replaced with the fast moving train of life we all experience.

Recently, a group of friends gave me a list of organizations and associations in South Carolina including music, photography, athletics, cooking and then I spotted the South Carolina Writers Association (myscwa.org).   I went to the website, signed up, paid my annual dues, and began attending the Columbia II workshops in November 2018. 

As a novice, I was nervous about attending my first few workshops as I listened to the readings of outstanding writers.  I was amazed with the talent and creativity of the members.  But I heard a common message from everyone around the table, “Just Write.”

The group echoed “We all started writing at some point and it will become easier over time.” Their words of encouragement motivated me and on my second workshop meeting I was able to write six pages of a story about my dogs Tucker and Madison. I received constructive feedback from Ginny Padgett and the Columbia II writers that attended the November 19^th workshop. This motivated me to continue writing and writing without fear.

I was fortunate to have had Flora Rheta Schreiber as my college English professor. She was a writer and author of several books including the non-fiction book, Sybil, which covered the treatment of Sybil Dorsett (a pseudonym for Shirley Ardell Mason) for a dissociative identity disorder (up to 16 different personalities). After spending seven years writing the book, she was published in 1973 and soon the book became a best seller and a TV movie.

I remember Mrs. Schreiber emphasizing the importance of keeping the writing simple to help readers understand the story.  She would walk the classroom aisles, look you in the eye, and say, “Writing is a gift everyone can give; empower yourself with the ability to positively impact the lives of others through your words.”

This holiday season make time to write a note of thanks to someone you love; write a story you always wanted to share; partner with your spouse or child and write what brings happiness to the home; or just doodle on some scrap paper. As J.K Rowlings will tell you, maybe someday that scrap paper will wind up in the Smithsonian Institute.

Several great examples of writing this holiday season include the poem, “The Night Before Christmas” which was published anonymously in 1823 and the letter written by 8 year-old Virginia O’Hanlon, to the editor of the New York Sun on September 21, 1897 titled “Is there a Santa Claus?”

I wanted to provide the letter to the Sun editor and the response to show the compassion and positive influence the gift of writing has on society:

“Dear Editor

I am eight years old – some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus.  Papa says If you see it in the Sun it’s so.  Please tell me the truth, is there a Santa Claus?

Virginia O’Hanlon

115 W. 95^th Street”

Please open the link to see the original response from the Editor of the NY Sun in 1897.