WRITE IT DOWN IN A SONG

Willis tagged me yesterday, seeking an answer to the musical question -- "Is there a song that sums up what it means to be a writer?"

Tough one for me, because I never intended to be a writer and even now spend most of my time pursuing the craft of producer in order to support and protect the writing of myself and others.

I don't talk about the writing process much. Mostly cause it's kind of personal and, in my opinion, different for everybody. I also don't think my approach replicates most of the ways writing is "manufactured" these days.

But in simplest terms (quite honestly the only ones I understand) it comes down to putting the audience into the shoes and experience of the people your stories are about and making them feel and understand the how and why of what your characters feel and understand.

Somebody once said, "Our great books are those that reinforce our own prejudices". But I don't believe that's true. I think the best stories make you question your core values and rethink those people you've pigeon-holed or stereotyped.

I come from Cowboys and grew up learning that the most impactful insight came when one of those hardly-ever-speaking guys would offer a different take on current wisdom through a story taken from personal experience.

So for me, it's just about being yourself as well as a story teller. That's probably why I'm such a fan of Country music and therefore I'll offer this from George Strait, who may be Country's finest story teller or in that world's parlance "Troubadour".