In the early 2000s I was writing poetry and other literary forms where we lived outside of Atlanta, not quite yet to the "novel commitment" stage. It was a good place to be at the time, creatively searching, seeking, trying out different things on my way towards the challenge that is the novel form. Little did I know that getting a job on the coast near Savannah, Ga (my birthplace) in 2007 would inspire me enough to push me over the edge and commit to writing my first novel starting around 2009.
Ultimately though, it was a good friend of mine back in those early years of the 2000s, around 2001 or so, that really sparked something in me. Something he wrote me was so eloquently put, so inspirational, that it has never left me to this day. We'd been talking about our mutual "love of writing" on the side, beyond our day jobs as managers, being fathers and husbands, and our schoolwork (we were both in the same nighttime MBA cohort) that we still had hopes for, that maybe at some point we'd craft something that others might find enjoyable.
His words to me were so profound and well put that I saved them, and they are still some of my favorite bits of encouragement even today. Because of their impact I wanted to share them, courtesy of my dear friend Mr. Max Wallace. Many thanks Maxxy for lighting that fire!
Max Wallace on Writing
“I highly encourage you to continue these efforts. It is in the midst of habit that genius emerges. So, with this thought in mind, I do not believe it would be too presumptuous of you to expect one of your writings to spark a writer’s trademark and/or character in the future, if you choose to write habitually. It seems to me that writing, like anything else, has its great moments and its weaker seasons. Only through consistent application, as a result of joyful habit, will the “material” be allowed to emerge, breathe, and take on life itself. That’s my dream, to write something bigger than I am; something that will live forever. Is there any other real immortalization than that which exists as a result of creating a collective group of words that experience no end in popularity?
If we think it, it can happen. Let’s think and say, “million seller,” every day. I really believe we can do it!!!"
