I've been isolated lately, a year and a half in enlistment. The military is very.... correction, perversely anti-intellectual.
I find it hard to approach my corporal and say, "So, you mind critiquing my work?" , only to be answered with excessive semi-hazing-yet-legal duties, ridicule ...et cetera.

Well, I'm in a combat arms unit, we're supposed to be anti-intellectual., but then again, I don't want the writer-side of my brain to die out after enlistment.
I'm not exactly surrounded by material I could use, and at the same time, the atmosphere isn't always geared to help me think better, or be creative for that matter.

sure, there's newsgroups, workshops, the web, lots of resources online, but that doesn't have the same peer-to-peer essence as having a set of friends you hang out with in-the-flesh, not human enough I'd guess.
Also, the academe atmosphere is Gone.

I do have *lots* of trouble believing that you can't find material, though. I finally got off my depressive kick when I made a study of the people around me. They're human, the salt of the earth, the real life people we write about. I would think a military situation would be even *more* useful for gaining material since lots of books have some military aspect to them. I have the unfortunate disadvantage of having to write those parts from other people's stories, not firsthand. You have a firstand opportunity to see a military unit in action.

So, I hope life goes in a better direction and surrounds you with some group of people who can help you critique your work. But they're just the last step. Get out there and get to know your comrades and find that material just swimming around you, begging to be used!

You have to realize that writing is not a group function. No matter what your job--it is a solitary thing. That's why we seek out groups like this one—to find others that share the same ups and downs—to find those that we can say—HEY I SOLD THIS or HEY I GOT AN AGENT or HEY I GOT A SLAM REJECTION, and they will understand what we are feeling.

Unless you are deployed, there are almost always local collages, writing groups ect, you just have to seek outside the confines of the military base. Back before internet, and yes I have been writing that long, the only way to connect with other writers was to go to a local collage and join a crit group. Then these people will be your peers. I know I get that look when people (other spouses) say “what do you do?” I say, “I’m an author and I work for an online magazine.” They say, “Oh, well . . . “ and they drift away.

Don’t depend on those around you to be your peers. In the military there are all sorts. And yes the majority I have run into—Army wise, believe a book is used to level a table in the enlisted club on free beer night.

You need a new circle of peers. Branch out. Check local writers groups. Here in Austin TX there are always “writerly” things going on. Even on Ft Hood itself there are book signings ect—go to one of those—check what your BX/PX is offering the way of promotions---go stand in line at one of those and you will see others of a like mind. Get chatty.

Shawn

I don't know if this is going to help, but it might.

Write about being in the military. This is a time honored tradition, and even has some status (sometimes) within the military culture itself. Keep a journal, observe what military life is like for you (it is different for everyone), and live (this not being the military, I do not insert any profanity, but you get the idea ).

Military experience is great for writers. Why? Exactly because you aren't hanging around other writers and such self-appointed intelligentsia. You're being forced to hike around and dig holes and clean floors and organize your socks in neat little rows (and you get to run around with an assault rifle and blow stuff up on occasion...or do they do that all in simulators now?). You may be exposed to serious black market activity for the first time (are you initial enlistment?). That in itself can be...enlightening (assuming that you haven't been exposed to the black market before). You have a chance to closely observe the life of people that are...real--in a way that academe isn't and never will be.

As Shaun said, writing is a solitary profession. You observe, you write. Critique yourself until you leave the military.

This is a period for developing self-reliance. If you want to become a writer then you erally need to learn that because no one can hold your hand against the onslaught of rejection that writers face.

But I've never heard anyone advise writers that they must "Always be surrounded by intellectuals."

Here's what nosey old Doc Brown thinks is going on: You have come to depend on encouragement from your peers. When they critiqued your work they fed your ego and built your self esteem. But now you're faced with a couple of years in which you must by much more self reliant. You must find the courage and confidence to appreciate your own work.

I have been in the military. The military is not anti-intellectual, they perversely conformity and about following orders. Unless you can find one of your peers, ie same rank and not a superior, who can critique your work, I suggest you try a local group or online.

I wouldn't ask Siligurl for help, she's an Officer AND in the AirForce, 2 strikes againt her.

as for material?
hell yeah Ive got lots of material
abt the .mil
enough so that I can convince ANY group
of intellegensia to stop paying taxes to the pentagon. but, I don;t know about using this material too much.

its more of an atmosphere, thats my problem.
i get this influx of experience that nurtures a lot of intresting material to write and at the same time i've got to deal with many encounters that I'd rather forget about : Hazing, Authority, Alienation.
strange, cause I've never been so attached to my material, to the point that writing them down, journalizing, often hurts.

It's hard to hide my tension here.
we're trained not to,
but once u slip up, show some weakness,
your bearing and ur rep suffer,
your peers think low of you,
look down on you.

as for isolation?
there's the healthy type : you are left alone by the nonKindred.
then there's mine : you're constantly singled out cause :
1. youve got a brain.
2. you question authority in indirect, semi-in-cognito, even subversive behaviour.

...then again,
your replies have encouraged me to look
at some advantages I didn't know I have.

Move outside your unit! Ok you work with them it doesn't mean you have to play with them. If you are single living in the barracs--get out of them do a house share.

Shawn

your husband in the MC too?
hope he's well. <was he riding on the USS Rushmore? My dad works on that ship, ask him if my dad's gotten any fatter.>

He's not home yet. Hopefully today.

Ok so you gotta live with those goons---doesn't mean you gotta party with them.

If you can find JUST ONE PERSON you can talk to, it will make a big difference. On-line stuff is great sometimes, but it's not a substitute for a real conversation. In my case, I can count on my husband coming home, so I have another adult to talk to on a daily basis. (He also reads and comments on my writing.) You might look outside the group you normally work and/or live with; that way, if people are hostile, at least you don't have to continue dealing with them on a daily basis.

Isolation is only part of your problem, though, IMO. The rest of it is the "not fitting in" issue, and feeling like you're in a hostile environment. Unfortunately, that probably won't change unless you change. (I'm not suggesting you should.) It's sort of like middle school--some things you just have to live through. It will make you stronger.

The Marines have a reputation for being particularly, um, difficult that way. My grandfather was a Marine in WWII--there's a reason his 3 sons were all Navy instead!

We just got word that my cousin's husband has been sent into a combat zone (he's an army mechanic). They'll celebrate their first anniversary soon. My uncle, her dad, mentioned that war means something different when it affects you personally.

Right now I'm in germany taking a class so I can go downrange to Iraq. There's no one here who even reads, let alone write.

But I do have some things in common with others. Running. It's probably the most insperational thing I do. And others do it, and they know that insperation.

They just don't write.

The only thing that's different between me and my fellow soldier is pen, ink and paper.

~James
espri de corp
1ID 121 Signal Battalion

[This message has been edited by FiveSides (edited April 13, 2004).]