Who are you?
Jim Wilson is a recording artist, piano technician, and author. Based in Los Angeles, CA.
What do you write?
My love affair with the written word traces back to my mom’s love of language – she taught 5 languages and spoke 7. She was always a great sounding board as my writing evolved from poetry to songwriting to short stories. Oh, how I wish she were around when I began writing my book, “Tuned In: Memoirs of a Piano Man” during the pandemic. She was my living Grammarly!
Where do you write?
When I began writing my memoir, I looked for the perfect app that would allow me to write on my iPhone, laptop, or desktop – and synch across all devices. It came down to Scribner or Ulysses. I landed on the latter as it uses the iCloud for synching. Works beautifully! I’d start an idea on my desktop, then later pick up the thread and dictate it into my iPhone or on my laptop in Starbucks.
When do you write?
Mad props to the writers who have the discipline to schedule a writing session and target writing X amount of words per session. Many of the books on writing suggest that approach. Alas, being allergic to that type of structure, I follow the lead of the muse. When I’m on a roll, I get excited to start hammering out an idea, shaping the narrative, and searching for “le mot parfait,” as the French would say. The beauty of having the master document available across all platforms is that if an idea strikes while you’re in bed, you just open your iPhone and dictate away!
Why do you write?
I’ve had the incredible fortune over the decades to work with and get to know just about all my childhood heroes. Around the beginning of the pandemic, I started cobbling together stories about my encounters with them. It evolved into the most epic, all-consuming project I’ve ever undertaken. I began working with writing coaches, learning not just the craft but digging deeper, leaving more blood on the page. The more I delved into the project, the more my mission became about writing the truth of my journey, about finding my true purpose as an artist, with hopes it would inspire someone to pursue a dream against the odds.
How do you overcome writer's block?
My writing coach turned me on to some timed exercises to help break through writer’s block. (Pick a memory, set your timer for 5 minutes, and write EVERY detail about that memory that comes to mind – no filter!) But fortunately, with each draft (of which there’d ultimately be 10!) I could feel the memoir taking shape and was inspired to jump back in and polish away.
Bonus: What do you enjoy doing when not writing?
Thankfully, I still enjoy sitting at my piano, following the muse, composing a new piece. And our amazing feline, Maxie, is a constant reminder of the importance of playfulness!
My thanks to Jim Wilson for today's interview.