Chatting With Lexi: On Writing

As she gets older, Lexi has decided she wants to be more like us, not that she wants to copy us, but that she admires what we do. In an essay she wrote for school she talked about how exciting it would be to be a librarian (like her mother). Then she has been talking about getting more songs on her iPod — Bruno Mars, Ne-Yo, and other popular singers — instead of just the KidzBop songs that used to populate her musical world, which is reminiscent of me and my love of different types of music. She even keeps asking me about when we’ll be able to get out and play some tennis since she knows its an important sport to me, and she wants to have that connection with me.

While it’s exciting to watch her grow older and discover more aspects of herself that she wants to explore, it’s also a little sad that the little girl who loved her stuffed rabbit and dog so much is gone, replaced by a young lady who sounds more and more like us, but also more and more like a future version of herself every day. But I’m embracing it because that’s what should happen. In the bath last night, she showed me more of that young woman she’s growing up to be, when she chatted with me about my number one passion: writing.

Lexi: Dad, how do I get to be a writer?

Me: You just write.

Lexi: No! I mean like you. I want to write a book.

Me: That takes a lot of hard work and commitment.

Lexi: Well, not exactly like you. I mean, I want it to be for, like, a 7-year old.

Me: It still takes a lot to write any book, even one for younger kids.

Lexi: How come?

Me: Because you have to keep in mind the age group, the words they should know and ones they won’t.

Lexi: So, if I just think about words I know, it will be okay for 7-year olds?

Me: It depends on the kid, but your editor will be able to help you figure that out.

Lexi: But I want to write it this weekend. I don’t have an editor.

Me: Lex, it’s not going to go that quickly, to get a book written in a couple of days and just publish it.

Lexi: Why not? I already have a lot of good ideas.

Me: But you need more than ideas. If it’s for a 7-year old then it will need pictures, and you’ll have to focus on sight words, and then you’ll have to have someone proofread it for you, then upload it to a site where people can buy it.

Lexi: Hold up! I don’t want people to buy it.

Me: Then what are you writing for?

Lexi: I want to take it to school and show my friends. Show my class, and my teacher.

Me: Oh, then you can do that whenever.

Lexi: That’s what I thought.

Me: So what do you need me for?

Lexi: I want you to read it and make sure I’m saying what I mean to say.

Me: Sure, I can do that.

Lexi: But what if I was interested in this publishing thing?

Me: Then I could help you with that too, and then pretty much anyone in the world could buy it and read it.

Lexi: Buy it? You mean I could get rich?

Me: Um, well, I guess technically you could, but I wouldn’t bet on it. If it happened, great, but don’t count on it happening.

Lexi: But if people liked it, a lot of people liked it, I could be rich?

Me: Yes, Lex, it’s a possibility.

Lexi: I’ll think about it then.

Me: You do that.

Sam