Open Heart Writing - Jim McNay Answers

Below is the twelfth in my 31 day series about writers; each day I feature a different person and ask three similar questions about the person's writing process. Today I feature someone who will probably feel uncomfortable about receiving praise: Jim McNay.

I have written extensively about Jim McNay throughout my blog.  He is a humble and gentle man. And I wish I knew as much as he did. (and I wish I were as humble.) Despite Jim's influence, he doesn't draw attention to himself. He is a master educator and story-teller regardless of the medium.

Jim's stories resemble a good layered photograph. He reveals something about several people. Some in the foreground; others in the background, and a few out of focus. And Jim doesn't really care for photos where the subject is staring at the camera. It seems the same way with his articles.

In response to my second question about inspiration, Jim discusses being inspired by Bill Plaschke's Sarah Morris story. I learned about the Sarah Morris story from one of Jim's Sportsshooter columns. Jim's article illustrates his layered approach to story-telling. In Jim's article, Jim details how Bill meets Sarah. Jim also mentions Sondheim and Chet Baker, adding sound and movement. There is also a photograph. The photo was by Brad Mangin, arguably the best Major League Baseball photographer. (And one of Jim's former students.)

Several weeks ago, I visited Jim briefly in Santa Barbara. I rushed off a photo. (I realized that the only photos I had of us together were taken by Robert Hanashiro while we were judging a photo contest.) I am also adding many McNay related links at the bottom. Please feel free to ask about anything photojournalism related in the comment section. Perhaps Jim will answer.

First. Why do you write?
The best answer I’ve found for this question came from an interview John Updike gave Terry Gross of NPR’s “Fresh Air.” He said, “By describing as best you can the fantasies of your own life, you’re showing other people what their lives are like. You’re clarifying their lives for them.”

Second. What inspires you?
People who are either up against “it” and struggle to overcome, or storytellers who can tell tales of those who are.

Prime examples:

Bill Plaschke of the Los Angeles Times, who’s classic story “Her Blue Haven” tells an incredibly improbable story of a writer who with incredible insight and understanding daily “covers” the Dodgers—from Texas. Distance is just the first of the many challenges the writer faces. http://webapp1.latimes.com/yourtimes/media_personalities/sprt_bp_story.html

Anne Lamott, who in “Bird by Bird” writes about writing in one of the funniest books anywhere.

Music – Innovators such as Mozart, Miles, Jarrett.

Look at Keith Jarrett’s work done in creating the very accessible “The Melody at Night, With You”, the tribute to his wife created while recovering from an illness that took him out of the performance loop for months.

Third. What do you do to overcome "writers' block?"
Wait. Letting ideas or problems simmer long enough either boil them down to their essence or cause them to evaporate because nothing of importance is there anyway.

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Jim McNay's blog: "As They Say in Spain"

Senior Editor Blog: at Kobre Guide for Videojournalism

Selected Sportsshooter Articles.

Jim and Miles.

Jim and the small world.

Jim and aspiring photojournalists.

Jim and Grover more than three years ago.

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