Every one of us has a book within waiting to be written. With each of us is on his/her own journey. It’s only a matter of what you decide to make of it. Remember that last time your car broke down? Did you rant? Did you get angry and blame someone else? Did you take it out on someone else? That is the makings of drama.
We writers use drama – aka conflict. The conflict in our stories. It is the glue that keeps us reading. Conflict is a reaction to a problem – big or small. When the reaction is in a big way – that creates drama, the sort of thing that the soap operas are made of.
The next time your car runs out of gas, the windshield wipers fall off, or your tire rolls past you on your way to the store, think of it as part of your journey. You’re that story that only you can write the happy ending for.
Everyone has an excuse not to write. I think we are afraid of ourselves, of what we might write. It’s not so much about the writing being bad, it’s more. When you write, it is like peeling an onion. Somewhere in our writings there are bits and pieces of us layered within. A small memory, making our writing be like that pensive Dumbledore had in his chamber.
Yes, we fear constructive criticism, but our worst critic is ourselves. If no one tells you what is wrong with a story, then you can’t fix it. You only need let go of your ego. Yes, that little chip on your shoulder that says you are greater than all. We all have a small piece of that chip that needs to be brushed off once in a while. Don’t get me wrong, it’s good to believe in yourself, but it’s not good to not be able to look at yourself.
I love watching myself grow as a writer. Yes, some of my early works suck. They’re not written in stone, though. I can go back at any given time and rewrite them. I won’t until I feel I have gained enough skill to take another shot at them. I’ve learned to forgive myself for anything poorly written.
A beginning artist draws stick figures as a child. The more they draw, the more their figures take shape until they have that piece of artwork that draws the attention of all at the local art show. Writing is the same. It is a skill that isn’t a given. The more you do it, the better you get.
Don’t be afraid to let the words flow. Stop your excuses. Find a time slot in your day and write, something, anything, and write as fast as you can. The more you do this, the easier it gets to write. You’d be amazed at what you can write in just ten minutes. With practice, even your typing skills improve, making your word count increase.
Linda Nelson 
You must be logged in to post a comment.