About The Principal's Office

Post 1418:

I’ve always wanted to be a great writer. There’s something badass about being able to communicate a thought or stories a little bit better than everyone else. And I get it—it’s a nerdy kind of badass.

Still.

From Tarantino to Willie Nelson, a good line or a good tale can go down in history. It’s exciting. When it’s not a total frigging beating.

Remember when you were a kid and if you screwed up they sent you to the principal’s office? Well, I got sent more than once. I was moderately defiant and totally full of myself, but that was never a carefree walk. I’d fight it and they’d tell me that I didn’t know everything and I would finally apologize and say that I was going to work on being better.

I wasn’t easily molded or anything; the thought of them ratting me out to my parents usually brought me back in line.

I look back on that discipline fondly now. It was humbling, and gave me a sense of other people and their importance. I couldn’t go raising hell in every class—nothing would get done. The teachers couldn’t teach and kids wouldn’t learn.

Discipline is huge in the writing game. I’m finding that out in new ways all the time. Talent is huge, obviously, but the willingness to submit your work to a critical eye is what makes something special. It’s not all about fun. You just want to write a great story, sure. But there are other people. And you can either punish yourself a little by cleaning up the work, or you can punish them with work that could’ve been better.

School’s never out. But metaphorically. Thank God actual school is out. I always thought it kinda smelled. Cheers and see you after.