What do you think about the above quote? Do you believe your thoughts will shape who you will become? I do.
I've always wanted to be a writer. I started as a young child writing stories to my stuffed animals and imaginary friends. (Come on, don't lie - you had them too!) As I grew into my teens I played with poetry. You know, the... dark, my life sucks, oh what a weary world... sort of stuff. (Admit it.) Then I became an adult, a wife, a mother, a career woman. Life wasn't easy (whose is), and as a result of my trials and tribulations, many stories developed. Guess what - I wrote them down. And, if I do say so myself, some of them are rather good. :)
But I had a problem. A big one. I never showed my writing to anyone. Why, you ask? Fear. Of what? Many things: rejection, ridicule, embarrassment, mediocrity, criticism, commitment, exposure of my feelings, fear of failure... fear of success.
Another big problem: not feeling good enough. By this I mean, not eloquent, literary, seasoned, or intelligent enough to pull off a really good book that would sell. Guess what - I am. That's right, in my own way, I have each and every quality necessary to write a book, and so do you. How can I say this? How do I know what I'm even talking about? Simple. I'm a person like the rest of us. That means my thoughts and feelings and impressions are one of two things: the same, or different than someone else. Meaning? Someone out there is going to relate to, like, enjoy, and feel for something I've written.
So, the above quote relates to my life. I believe in my heart and mind that I am a writer. I build my life by it, I live, eat, and breathe it. I write - therefore I am a writer.
Here's a question for you: Do you feel that if you don't get your writings published, then you have failed?
Answer: Not by a long shot. You have SUCCEEDED! How many people can say they wrote a book, or a piece of poetry, or a short story, or... well, anything for that matter?
Write for yourself. the rest is just icing on the cake.
Don't believe me? Here's my challenge to you. Write something. Send it out to the world and see if people respond. I believe you'll be pleasantly surprised. :)
Check out the links below to help you along your winding road.
All my best for your hopes and dreams,
Dee Ann
Creativity Portal
Parents - Writers Block
Fiction Writing
Overcome Your Fear of Writing
I love this post, DeeAnn! So much of what you said rings true to me and, I'm sure, to all writers. Continuing with your thoughts, one of my favorite quotes is by Ralph Waldo Emerson. He said,
ReplyDelete"A person will worship something, have no doubt about that. We may think our tribute is paid in secret in the dark recesses of our hearts, but it will out. That which dominates our imaginations and our thoughts will determine our lives, and our character. Therefore, it behooves us to be careful what we worship, for what we are worshipping we are becoming.”
Powerful stuff!
Thanks so much Jill. I fully believe in this. I wish more people understood it. Many people have heard this and understand it on a subconscious level, but fail to pay attention on a conscious level. My hopes are that more people will become more aware of their thoughts and take control to alter them in order to live more productive lives. Thanks for your comment! :)
ReplyDeleteI think all writers suffer from self doubt, I know I've had my fair share. I used to believe that I couldn't call myself a writer until I made a living at it. Now I realize how wrong I was. I love to write and it's how I define myself - therefore I am a writer! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing these wonderful and insightful thoughts!
That's great, Carrie! I'm so glad you've been able to get past the belief that unless you make money at writing, then you're not a writer. How absolutely UNTRUE that is. Thanks for stopping by. :)
ReplyDeleteMarvelous words of encouragement, Dee Ann. If we could only tattoo them on our foreheads for easy access. Many thanks for a lovely post.
ReplyDeleteThanks PeakPerspective! I try to recite those words at least once a week (but, sometimes several times a day, depending on my thought process at the time!) I'm one of those people who find great incentive out of encouraging words like these. Do you have any others you'd like to share?
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