Thank you again, Donald M. Murray

Dear Reader,

On a muggy summer day, my cellphone and home alarm system warned of a possible tornado. It was serious enough for John and me to start grabbing things and head for the cellar. While on a quick tour of the house, I paused briefly and asked myself, “Other than the obvious handbag, passport, medications, what else is necessary?”

My reach extended to the small box where I keep my flash drives. Then I panicked. What about my research? I slung my bulging handbag over my shoulder, took a deep breath, lifted the plastic storage tub and went downstairs.

I am writing a non-fiction book and have been collecting material for nearly ten years. Once the topic narrowed, I reorganized everything that was related to it. The papers filled a large storage container. For the past 18 months, I have been writing from that well of information. I created a finding aid which lists all categories and their contents. It became necessary because I’d be in the middle of a paragraph and needed to look at a census report or a newspaper article and was unable to put my hand on it. Now my collection is more accessible.

One day, I hit a brick wall. My brain was overflowing. I didn’t know where my paragraphs were taking me or which section to develop. It felt terrible to think I was falling apart, after all the work I’d done. My confidence plummeted to a dangerous level: Who do I think I am, trying to write this book? It was a bad day. Actually, this went on for a few days, but I kept on writing, sad-eyed and miserable.

Then a voice started, faint at first, then thundering the way his real voice was years ago. It was Donald M. Murray (1924-2006). He was my writing teacher and mentor (Judy’s Journal 2007 February). Don said, “Pick out a writing strategy that I taught you and USE IT. Nobody is going to do it for you. DON’T GIVE UP!”

John asks, “How did the writing go today?” Sometimes he doesn’t need to; he can tell just by looking at me. I told him about Murray’s voice. “So, what are you going to do?”

I realized that I was simply overwhelmed. It was a matter of figuring out a group of manageable tasks each day. I opened to a clean page in my notebook and made a list of what I thought I could accomplish in one day, plus a few more things just for the challenge. At the end of the day, I make a bridge and start the next day’s list with what I didn’t finish.

“Know tomorrow’s task today,” said Donald M. Murray. I will. And, thank you again.