Ask the Author: Tim Sutton
Answered Questions (6)
Tim Sutton
For many years, I thought there was a book in me about my brother Thad. I wrote a children's book inspired by him which I could never find a publisher for. I filed that idea as well as several starts and stops back in the recesses of my mind in the "One day I will write this" folder.
In 2007, my brother Travis made a documentary about Thad and our family called "extraordinary measures" which was very good. Once that was complete, I thought, maybe I don't need to write that book anymore.
Then, in 2011, a few months after Thad passed away, my friend Glen Nelson, from the Mormon Artists Group, who had seen "extraordinary measures" asked me if I would write and illustrate a memoir about my specific experience with Thad. That is how it began. I went back to the "One day I will write this" folder and started from there.
In 2007, my brother Travis made a documentary about Thad and our family called "extraordinary measures" which was very good. Once that was complete, I thought, maybe I don't need to write that book anymore.
Then, in 2011, a few months after Thad passed away, my friend Glen Nelson, from the Mormon Artists Group, who had seen "extraordinary measures" asked me if I would write and illustrate a memoir about my specific experience with Thad. That is how it began. I went back to the "One day I will write this" folder and started from there.
Tim Sutton
Right now, I am finding inspiration on the subways of New York.
I have artist friends who are sketchers. They will pull out their sketch pads wherever they are and start sketching people, surreptitiously, of course. It is an essential exercise for anyone who draws. I am learning to draw. I bought a sketch pad so that I could be a sketcher, too. I'm a novice drawer and quick sketching is an exercise in frustration.
What sketching has done for me, though, is open my eyes to the people around me, especially as I commute from Washington Heights to Hell's Kitchen twice a day. Now, I divide my time between sketching with lines and curves and sketching with words. Finding ways to efficiently describe these people, what they are wearing, how they are sitting or standing, what their expressions reveal to me is incredibly inspiring because everyone has a story. Granted, what I am inspired to write is purely based on my observations and my speculation about what their day might have been like or what they might be going home to. Still, I am inspired by these people.
I have artist friends who are sketchers. They will pull out their sketch pads wherever they are and start sketching people, surreptitiously, of course. It is an essential exercise for anyone who draws. I am learning to draw. I bought a sketch pad so that I could be a sketcher, too. I'm a novice drawer and quick sketching is an exercise in frustration.
What sketching has done for me, though, is open my eyes to the people around me, especially as I commute from Washington Heights to Hell's Kitchen twice a day. Now, I divide my time between sketching with lines and curves and sketching with words. Finding ways to efficiently describe these people, what they are wearing, how they are sitting or standing, what their expressions reveal to me is incredibly inspiring because everyone has a story. Granted, what I am inspired to write is purely based on my observations and my speculation about what their day might have been like or what they might be going home to. Still, I am inspired by these people.
Tim Sutton
I am currently spending most of my time trying to get the word out about "Me and Thad." Since it is basically a self-published book even through it happened through an organization, the Mormon Artists Group, there is a lot of legwork that has to happen to bring it to the public's attention.
I have some ideas I am developing for a series of short stories as well as a collection of personal essays. Lots of lists and sketches at the moment.
I have some ideas I am developing for a series of short stories as well as a collection of personal essays. Lots of lists and sketches at the moment.
Tim Sutton
Write! That is the only advice that matters.
That being said, I've never been the kind of writer who writes every day, and I've had mentors and idols who said that every day is the only way to make it happen. I used to beat myself up because I would write in spurts, using the time in between to allow my thoughts and ideas to gestate and develop. Life and priorities would also take me away from the writing table, and I allowed that. Be kind to yourself, and you will find the process that works best for you.
What I learned along the way was to distinguish between valid interruptions and procrastination. For me, procrastination is always the child of fear. If I wasn't writing because I was afraid or intimidated of what I needed to write, then that is when I would force myself to sit at my writing table, think about what I was writing and start by writing the smallest part of it; then I would build from there one idea at a time.
"Me and Thad" is a very personal journey. It took me four years to write it. I needed every moment of that four years whether I was researching, writing, thinking, or paying the bills in order to realize that dream. As I was going through the final developmental stages, reading multiple times through the formatted text to make sure there weren't any typos (unbelievably, I still missed a few), I felt confident and humbled because what I was reading told our story well. It felt complete. There was not once when I thought, "Darn, I should have said that different." or "What about that one experience? Shouldn't I include that?" That feeling of deep satisfaction was a result of that four years. If I had tried to compress the time, I'm sure it would have been a less satisfactory book.
That being said, I've never been the kind of writer who writes every day, and I've had mentors and idols who said that every day is the only way to make it happen. I used to beat myself up because I would write in spurts, using the time in between to allow my thoughts and ideas to gestate and develop. Life and priorities would also take me away from the writing table, and I allowed that. Be kind to yourself, and you will find the process that works best for you.
What I learned along the way was to distinguish between valid interruptions and procrastination. For me, procrastination is always the child of fear. If I wasn't writing because I was afraid or intimidated of what I needed to write, then that is when I would force myself to sit at my writing table, think about what I was writing and start by writing the smallest part of it; then I would build from there one idea at a time.
"Me and Thad" is a very personal journey. It took me four years to write it. I needed every moment of that four years whether I was researching, writing, thinking, or paying the bills in order to realize that dream. As I was going through the final developmental stages, reading multiple times through the formatted text to make sure there weren't any typos (unbelievably, I still missed a few), I felt confident and humbled because what I was reading told our story well. It felt complete. There was not once when I thought, "Darn, I should have said that different." or "What about that one experience? Shouldn't I include that?" That feeling of deep satisfaction was a result of that four years. If I had tried to compress the time, I'm sure it would have been a less satisfactory book.
Tim Sutton
For me, the best thing about being a writer is the opportunity it affords me to continue to learn. It requires me to exercise my abilities to listen and to observe, like doing push-ups or curls or cardio for my brain and my heart.
The most gratifying experience I've had so far has been when someone reads "Me and Thad" and from their comments or questions, I can feel that they have connected into my intent for the book; that in some very real way, I have communicated, even communed with this person.
The most gratifying experience I've had so far has been when someone reads "Me and Thad" and from their comments or questions, I can feel that they have connected into my intent for the book; that in some very real way, I have communicated, even communed with this person.
Tim Sutton
Years ago I read Anne Lamott's book "Bird by Bird", and she suggested having a 2 inch frame on my desk so that when I felt stuck or overwhelmed I could look at that frame and challenge myself to write only a part of the scene or the thought that would fit into that frame. I never actually bought a physical frame, but the idea of being specific as a way to get back to the story stuck with me and certainly served me well while writing "Me and Thad," especially at the beginning.
My editor, Glen Nelson, the president of the Mormon Artists Group, approached me about writing "Me and Thad" within a year after my brother Thad passed away. Glen had seen the film "extraordinary measures" which my brother Travis had so beautifully created, and he asked to write about Thad from my specific experience.
I knew from the moment he asked me that this was a book that I needed to write, but whenever I thought about it, or when I sat down to write, it seemed too big. I was still reeling from Thad's passing, so there were a lot of emotions obscuring the story. It was like I was looking at our life through a wiper-less windshield in a torrential rainstorm. I knew it was out there, but I couldn't see it clearly.
Finally, I stopped thinking about the whole story, and I started by writing moments--every moment that came to my head, like creating a stack of detailed quilt squares before assembling a quilt. Eventually, I began putting them together and forming a narrative, which had no resemblance to the final product 4 years later, but it was an essential step because it helped me dive below the storm of my grief and see how the story of Thad's life and my life entwined.
Another bit of writer wisdom that Anne Lamott gave me when I read "Bird by Bird" many years ago was that you have to get the "shitty first draft" out of your head and onto the page without judgement and without editing. As I started to put the narrative together I reminded myself of that every time I felt the impulse to fine-tune along the way. I learned that when I ignored that advice I would get bogged down and I would get stuck, often overwhelmed by what I hoped the end result would be. I finally was able to let go of that impulse and just write.
That first draft was not good, but it was perfect. I had the substance of what would become "Me and Thad." The blocks that I experienced along the way lengthened the time it took, but did not ultimately impede the progress.
My editor, Glen Nelson, the president of the Mormon Artists Group, approached me about writing "Me and Thad" within a year after my brother Thad passed away. Glen had seen the film "extraordinary measures" which my brother Travis had so beautifully created, and he asked to write about Thad from my specific experience.
I knew from the moment he asked me that this was a book that I needed to write, but whenever I thought about it, or when I sat down to write, it seemed too big. I was still reeling from Thad's passing, so there were a lot of emotions obscuring the story. It was like I was looking at our life through a wiper-less windshield in a torrential rainstorm. I knew it was out there, but I couldn't see it clearly.
Finally, I stopped thinking about the whole story, and I started by writing moments--every moment that came to my head, like creating a stack of detailed quilt squares before assembling a quilt. Eventually, I began putting them together and forming a narrative, which had no resemblance to the final product 4 years later, but it was an essential step because it helped me dive below the storm of my grief and see how the story of Thad's life and my life entwined.
Another bit of writer wisdom that Anne Lamott gave me when I read "Bird by Bird" many years ago was that you have to get the "shitty first draft" out of your head and onto the page without judgement and without editing. As I started to put the narrative together I reminded myself of that every time I felt the impulse to fine-tune along the way. I learned that when I ignored that advice I would get bogged down and I would get stuck, often overwhelmed by what I hoped the end result would be. I finally was able to let go of that impulse and just write.
That first draft was not good, but it was perfect. I had the substance of what would become "Me and Thad." The blocks that I experienced along the way lengthened the time it took, but did not ultimately impede the progress.
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