Are you a Ruth?

I've been teaching writing for 30 years and during that time I have seen the same student nearly every semester--we'll call her Ruth.

Ruth wants more than anything to write. She has read hundreds of books. She hangs out at libraries and bookstores. She talks to her friends about stories. To see her name published is a dream that drives her.  She believes that her novels will one day be on the New York Times bestseller list.  Her eyes, her eagerness, her very body language exudes a desperate hunger to see her name in print. 

But there is one thing that is keeping Ruth from her dream: she is a terrible writer. Even though she is confident and believes she is talented, she is destined to fail. Not because she doesn't want it bad enough, not because she isn't confident--the Ruths of the world always seem to be brimming with confidence. She won't get published because she hasn't learned to write.

I know that. Editors know that. Sadly, Ruth does not.

And so she continues to submit her average stories or articles, collects a score of rejection slips, and then, finally, decides that writing isn't her dream after all.

And thus, the accounting, interior design, and computer industries gain a new employee and Ruth, the writer, is lost and so too are her dreams.

This may seem rather cynical but the good news is that Ruth didn't have to fail.  Every semester I see a Ruth that is willing to learn, she is willing to practice, she accepts that although she has been writing since first grade that doesn't make her a good writer.

My belief is that if Ruth has basic talent, an attitude that will allow her to learn, is willing to work at honing her writing and learning her craft, any Ruth can succeed.  My intention with this blog is to provide resources for the Ruths of the world. To provide inside information. To provide hope.

I have watched ordinary Ruths become writers of promise. I have watched average writers become very good writers. I've even seen them become exceptional ones.

But these Ruths all had something in common--they wanted to learn this craft with all their soul.

It is to the Ruths of the world that I dedicate this blog.