"It is not love that is blind, but jealousy." - Lawrence DurellI'll never be Ernest Hemingway or F. Scott Fitzgerald. I'll never come close to approaching the richness and sincerity of a John Steinbeck. And, while I can torture myself by striving for perfection and trying to be the best, the one thing (and perhaps the only thing) I can do is be the best "me" possible. Time after time I find myself criticizing my works in progress even though I should know better. I beat myself up for not having a first draft that's as good as a master's finished piece. Silly, huh? But we writers do it to ourselves over and over.
A doctor doesn't go through all the rigorous academic training of med school, followed by an intense residency, have a practice of his or her own only to say, "I'm not a real doctor." Yet, we writers do that all the time. We study, we read, we hit the blank page over and over yet we negate the fact that we are writers when we don't get published or when our published works don't meet the commercial success of a Stephen King or Anne Rice. It seems that writers at all levels of their career suffer from similar feelings of self doubt.
The best advice I ever heard was, "Writers, write." It's that simple.
The days that you sit down to write, you're a writer. The days you let slip away are gone forever. You won't be able to get those words and thoughts back. But, when you're actively engaged in a story problem, when you're focused and involved in creating an intriguing plot or an in-depth character biography then you're a writer. Set aside some time every day no matter how brief to get your ideas on paper. All of life's other obligations will stand in the way but your job as a writer is to make time to write. Every word gets you closer to your finished manuscript.
Whenever I take on a new story, one of the first things I like to do is acquaint myself with the territory. I like to get a view of the landscape. What's it like to walk in my character's shoes? What do they see, feel, hear, smell on their way to work, school, the dentist? I'll usually do a fair amount of research on a place, especially if I've never been there and want the story to ring true. Better yet, a trip could be just the thing to really add spice to your prose. Creating an authentic setting helps to establish a sense of trust with the reader. I find reading books on nature give me a valuable insight into the topography and wildlife characteristic of a region. These vital details infuse the imaginary world you create with vividness.
This week's suggested website: Writer's FM - (http://www.writersfm.com/writersfm/) The only radio station created for writers by writers. Writer's FM broadcasts 24 hours a day and features music, live interviews, podcasts and more.
This week's writing prompt: Give yourself five uninterrupted minutes of quiet time. Capture all the detail you can about the present moment. Fill a page with the sights, sounds and experiences that are going on around you right now. There's more available than you may at first realize. Give your very best and have a great writing week.
