Influences and Inspiration-How Writing and the Outdoors Come Together

Over the years I have written a fair number of stories and articles. Some were completed, most were not. I even wrote a full 50,000 word novel in 30 days as part of National Novel Writing Month. This is not me taking an opportunity to brag. I'm not nearly good enough as a writer for that. I am using this information to illustrate that I enjoy writing and have spent a fair amount of time pursuing that particular hobby.

My boss recently asked to read the novel I wrote and the commentary she offered got me thinking about what lead me to the world of writing and how I developed my personal style as well as how that ties into my love of the outdoors.

First and foremost, my influences have always been quite varied. I enjoy authors from a variety of genres. Sci-fi, fantasy, westerns, thrillers, political intrigue, and humor all have a place on my bookshelf. But my two largest influences were Louis L'Amour and Pat McManus. 

These two men wrote the stories that helped shape my love of both writing and the outdoors. Yes, I had, and still have, people in my life whom I consider mentors in both arenas. But these two men took me places I couldn't go as a kid. From L'Amours sweeping landscapes and thrilling exploits of the old west to McManus' tales of a forgotten, but not gone, rural America, their stories transported me on adventures I could only hope to one day achieve. 

If you happen to read any of my work, and are familiar with these writers, I'm sure you will see how their legacies guided my pen. 

L'Amour shaped and molded my idea of what it meant to be not only a man, but a responsible member of society. There is a surprising amount of philosophy in his work and his thoughts resonated deeply with me. I aspired to be like the heroes in his novels. 

McManus told tales with which I could relate, even if they were in a completely different setting than my west Michigan home. His characters were real to me because I knew people that fit each description so well. His brand of humor has always hit me in a way few other humor writers have. It was easy to relate to his stories as many of them were uncannily similar to my own experiences. 

Both of them regaled me with lore and legend, scenes and settings, of the outdoors that I longed to experience myself. It wasn't until recently that I have been able to truly fulfill some of those outdoor fantasies. I've visited places I had only pictured through words on page. The Big Bend country in Texas, the Hole in the Wall in Wyoming, the Ozarks in Missouri. I have written of almost none of it, other than a few social media posts. The reason for that is, as good of writers as those two men were, they couldn't come close to capturing the beauty and grandeur the outdoor world has to offer. If they, who are so brilliant and talented, could fail so miserably, what could I hope to relay to those who might read my words, that would do justice to the awe inspiring majesty of the natural world?

But I've come to realize that it's not my job to be "good enough". I have experienced things others may only dream of doing. My words may spark a passion for the outdoor world in others who have yet to experience the things I have. My knowledge may help others achieve goals that might currently only be vague hopes. To me, that puts a burden of responsibility on my shoulders to create content that just might draw more people to the outdoor community.

And that is the ultimate goal of Grizld Outdoors. Whether it be through my writing, YouTube videos, or other medium, our ultimate mission is to help others experience the outdoors via whatever means they have at their disposal.