Write Your Book, Not Busby’s Book

Busby jumped up and down in excitement. “Dude, you’re a writer? Okay, I’ve got this killer plot. There’s this guy, and he…… and once he knew that, he…..oh and he knew this girl who then took over….. and all with a small parachute and a yo-yo! I know! So then, the President of the U.S. tells them to…all with a can of Spam and a hairbrush! The end! You should write it! You’ll make a million!”

He walks away.

No, fellow. I won’t make a million dollars, but you might.

My fingers have typed thousands of words to write the story ideas others dumped on me. I have fewer friends and have worn my fingerprints off for my troubles.

The people who ask me to write, like Busby, are always unhappy with how the story turns out. “This wasn’t my vision! This isn’t what I said! YOU got it all wrong.” To which I mutter under my breath, “Then you write your novel.”

After a while, I started to say, as soon as anyone told me their idea: “The person who generates the idea should write the novel.”

Even Busby.

Imagine a stranger named Frilly who walks up at a family gathering and suggests he holds the video camera. He may know enough techniques to get some excellent footage, but he doesn’t know how to keep an eye on Uncle Prius, who could do a wild prank at any moment. Or to get Uncle Agamemnon to tell jokes about aircraft. Or that if prompted, Uncle Paris and Aunt Helena would tell family secrets. Only someone familiar with the family knows where to point the camera to get the juiciest story.

When writing, the person with the idea knows best the parts that make the story enjoyable. So, if you have an idea you’re dying to tell an author, that may be a sign you need to sit down and start writing. I can’t wait to see what you come up with!

Not all views expressed are those of every member of ICW.