Delayed Justice

Saturday noontime I spent with a delightful group of writers in Grand Rapids.  And by delightful I do not mean literary lightweights in any sense of the word.  They are hardworking and–for many of them–frequently published authors.  Their genre for at least THIS part of their writing work is Romance (many of them do other writing work, too).  So, Romance writers.  Wow!  I came away with an education and I had to confess that while it would be a sin to be jealous of their successes I could feel them in the room.  What would it be like to have 20 books to my name?  Pretty cool, I’m guessing.

I was a little intimidated at first but won over by their generosity of spirit and their interest in Delayed Justice.  They explained that they often asked police officers, investigators, even the forensic pathologist Dr. Stephen Cohl.  So, I was in good company of being on a list of that caliber…but I explained that while my master’s degree was in journalism, my doctorate was in English…creative writing to be exact.  There was in my mind the idea tucked far back that I was supposed to be doing what they have been doing, but perhaps in a different genre.

And I have been.  Writing fiction, that is.  But not getting published. In fact, not even sending stuff off.  Just writing and holding.

I suppose I’ve slipped back into the idea is that I should do only one thing.  Either this or that.  Where does that come from?  Who says so?  Didn’t I tell students time and again that they should use all the talents they have, even if they’re small talents?  “You have been given talents for a reason,” I’d say.  “Part of your task is to find the right way to combine them.  But never, never, never discard them.”  I realize it was good advice.  So I’ve been searching for ways to combine my interests for some time.  That’s the challenge.  Certainly my interest in music informs my film making.  Fiction writing informs essays and journalism.  Somehow it all comes together and makes a kind of sense.  I can’t do what they do, but I can do what I do.

The gathering of writers was a reminder.  Talent is where you find it.  There is a lot of  it out there.  And great talent can come from anywhere, not just the graduate school.  Finally, the world is waiting for the next good idea.

I give thanks for those reminders, the new insights about writing groups, and I especially  give thanks for encountering writers who take such great joy in their work.  That’s what we’re supposed to do!