Dylan is an inspiration in this movie soundtrack from ‘Wonder Boys’. Based on a novel written by Michael Chabon, the major character in Wonder Boys, Grady Tripp, is always living on the edge.

He is: having an affair with his boss's wife, a heavy drinker, a "blocked' writer and a college English professor. After a break out novel seven years prior, he is trying to end his second novel, now at 100,000 words and counting. Could we really ignore the fact that one of his students can out-write him any day of the week? No. Read Chabon's novel and you'll see tons of conflict unfold in the first ten pages.

I want to write as easily at it seems to be for Chabon. I want to sing as easily as it seems for Dylan. I want to outwit my demons called self-doubt and procrastination. I want something to click, the words to roll out like a raging river. I want to scratch my head and say, "Aw, shucks, it was nothing, really.", in my acceptance speech at the Oscars.

Characters who defy the odds inspire me. They manage to do everything wrong and still turn things around. They lose manuscripts like Hemingway and drink too much. They keep on plugging away in spite of no money, no love and no real praise. Then one day, success appears on the horizon and a writer realises, things have changed.

Nice title for a song, don't you think?

Though other artists contributed to the ‘Wonder Boys’ soundtrack, Dylan ranks as one of the most enduring artists around. For more inspiration, try his poem, Last Thoughts on Woody Guthrie.

Marilynn lives and writes in San Antonio, Texas. She workshops her pieces at Zoetrope All Story Virtual Studio. She is also a member of several critique groups, including San Antonio Writers Guild. Influences include a book by Julia Cameron entitled, The Artists Way: A Spirtual Path to Higher Creativity. A very early influence was, you guessed it, a high school teacher/librarian who turned her on to literature and writing. Favorite author is Hemingway, his minimal and pared down details giving readers the opportunity to paint character sketches in their own minds. To date she has published twenty pieces of her work in such publications as: Skive Magazine, Word Riot, Thieves Jargon, Long Story Short, The Notebook, Star Magazine, World War II Women Anthology and the first issue of Penwomanship coming March 1, 2006. To read Marilynn’s story ‘Curve Ball’ on the showcase section of this site, click here.

© 2007 Laura Hird All rights reserved.