The blank page. Does it scare you? Or, does it excite you? Maybe a little of both?
For a writer, it means a new start. Whether it’s the start of sentence, paragraph, chapter, even a story or book.
For many us, it can mean a fresh beginning. Maybe it’s as simple as a new outlook. or as detailed as plan for a life change.
Either way, it’s a symbol for potential.
When I’m writing a story, each blank page has a potential to go in a million directions. Knock on wood, I’ve never had a blank page get in my way. When it comes to my fiction, the page fills up pretty fast. I’m just watching the mind movie and hope that I can capture it on my screen.
When I was a reporter, it was a bit different. There’s always a balance of narrative, style, information, and convention. Things had to follow a more strict format and often the word count and word limit were at odds. Opinion columns flowed well, while feature and news stories took a bit longer.
As for blank pages in life, I’ve had too many to count. In my Jr year of high school, my family moved from San Diego, California to rural Pensacola, Florida. I hated leaving my life-long friends behind. However, it was pretty exciting to start over where nobody knew me. I could create a brand new me.
A few years later, having no clear direction, I followed the example of my Dad and other relatives and joined the Navy. That was definitely a blank page and scary as hell. Although I didn’t make a career out of it, I had some great experiences and traveled the world.
There were even more blank pages to fill. After 10 years out of high school, I met the girl who sat behind me in Home Room and we got married. The next 26 years of marriage filled a whole lot of blank pages. It’s been a story that’s had as many ups and downs as a Lifetime movie. However, through it all, she and I have enjoyed a Mickey and Minnie love that’s never dimmed. In 2008, we both turned over a new blank page and moved to my childhood home of San Diego.
What’s next?
Well, tomorrow I’ll get back to work on my latest novel. I’m nearing the end and all looks like it will wrap up just the way I hoped. My wife and I work at the same bookstore. So, we’ll jump on the bus in the morning and continue working with words.
I’ll look forward to each new page. Hopefully, my life’s story will have several more chapters. I’ve got a great coauthor. I’m not ready for the denouement. However, I’ll take it one page at a time and enjoy the story.
Thanks for reading.