Insanity is doing something over and over again and expecting different results. That idea is often attributed to Einstein. But there’s no evidence he said that.
I thought I remembered reading that this quote came from AA. And, if memory serves (which more and more it doesn’t), I think it was from an AA group in Indiana. If you know anything about any of the XA programs, I’m sure the idea of beating your head against the wall for the fourteenth time and expecting things to be different will resonate with you. From an AA (or NA or SA or any of a zillion A’s) point(s) of view, the basic idea is that there is a truth and a reality…and that bitch will win every single time. And that’s true, but the idea of doing something repeatedly and expecting different results has broader applications.
Enter Isaac Asimov
I’m a writer, in case you haven’t figured that out. A real one. In some form or fashion, I’ve made real bills paying money with my ability to write since 2007. Lately, I’ve focused on writing novels and short stories, but that’s a recent development. For the past oh so many years, I’ve been a business writer, writing hundreds of long-form sales letters and (no joke) thousands of promotional emails. This is along with God knows how many press releases, blog content articles, and video scripts. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Oh yeah, another biggie. I’ve created over two hundred courses on all aspects of online marketing. So, yeah, I know a thing or two about writin’.
And I’m pretty good with words, in case you missed that part, too.
Actually, my love for words is my Achilles’ heel.
I like words in all their forms and combinations. I like them in many languages. I love the silkiness of French…it’s like a verbal laxative. I love the frankness of Spanish. I don’t speak Spanish as well as French, but I love to listen to it on YouTube. There’s an indy journalist chic on YouTube. I love to listen to her talk. I can get the gist of what she’s saying, but the way she says it is somewhere between hilarious and I-think-I’m-in-love. You know, there are people who walk funny, stand funny, look funny, and talk funny. This girl talks funny. She makes me sad, though, because a voice like hers could only be fueled by about forty cigarettes a day. She’s like the Spanish journalist version of Willie Nelson—voice-wise.
I especially like words in my native tongue, English. I like every single one of our million-plus words. I’ve written about the difference between English and French in terms of vocabulary and how the South American writer Borges thought English to be the better language for writers. You can see that essay HERE on Substack. (I’m honestly not sure English is better than French. Is Racine a greater writer than Shakespeare? In breadth, sure, but in the way he sounds and reads? Probably not.)
Don’t get me wrong here. I’m not an expert in any of this. Just an aficionado.
So, I like to play with words when I write. That’s part of the fun. I’m also a naturally funny person. Humorous, as it were. So that throws a monkey wrench (or even an entire monkey) into the works.
I can’t help but land somewhere in the midst of sardonic and satirical. Satire is my bailiwick. Humor, satire, absurdity with a dash of cynicism and a pinch of turmeric. Sauté that up with chopped onions, then add in okra, and you’ve got yourself a treat of a side dish.
But you see, all this playing around, showing off, even, takes a toll on a guy. Time. No way can I write smoothly, just tell the damn story, zero to little elaboration, get to the point, hammer it out, make the damned deadline. Just can’t.
But Isaac Asimov could.
And I feel deficient that I’m never going to be able to rise to that level of greatness.
Like…like…when I just said, “make the damned deadline,” that made me think of “the deep damnation of his taking off.” I’ve carried around that quote from Macbeth for months now, trying to figure out where to put it in. Can I find a crack somewhere, get my wrecking bar and lever it open, then slide that sucker in…no one will notice? But, noooooo!
In the grocery store:
Them—Did you find everything you were looking for?
Me—Yes, well, almost, I was looking for those pre-cooked hams; you know the kind you have around Christmas and Thanksgiving?
Them—They should be over on aisle fourteen, right next to the chicken.
Me—I thought I looked there…<static like on a radio>…<Frankenstein’s monster tries to speak>…<it comes out slow like a slowed down magnetic tape>…BBuutt II ccoouullddnn’’tt ffiinndd tthheemm bbeeccaauussee ooff… <faster!> THE DEEP DAMNATION OF THEIR TAKING OFF!
Them—????? Say what?
Me—Sorry! I’ll go look on that aisle again. I think it was the war, or the hallucinogens, or maybe COVID. <sheepish grin> (Just for honesty’s sake, I have been in no wars, unless you count just being alive war…and it might be.)
So, this is what I have to deal with…this shit!
Insanity
And that leads us back to DO, RE, MI…
Like a medieval penitent, I keep flagellating myself that I can’t just tell a simple story told simply. I can’t even write that last sentence without goofing off!
And because of this flaw, I’m not a fast writer.
Oh, I create a ton of stuff in a year’s time. But it’s nothing like the great pulps of yesteryear or even the great digital pulps of today.
I wish, I wish, I wish I could just quit kidding around, go straight, and get serious.
But I can’t!
Here’s what’s on Wikipedia about Asimov’s writing style:
Isaac Asimov, renowned for his prolific writing, developed a streamlined process to enhance his productivity… Asimov's writing style was intentionally unadorned and direct. He credited author Clifford D. Simak as an early influence in developing this clear prose style.
This is what I wish I could do!
But I was born with a funny bone wedged in my brain.
So, I guess it is what it is.
Subscribe to my Substack!
I have new articles, essays, and short stories coming out every week. If you liked this, subscribe!
Would you like one of my mystery books for free? Click here!
All I need is your email, so I know where to send the book. No tricks, just a great book to read!