Conquering Fear

I saw this quote today, and it really hit home.  I've been working a bit on something new that has been nudging the edges of my psyche for a while.  But, it scares the pants off me.  One, it is not like anything I've ever written.  Two, it is pretty personal.  Three, it might totally suck!  I've been trying to fight through that fear and press on so when I saw this quote, it was like an aha moment telling me to just keep writing.  I'm sure it will be a "shitty rough draft" in Anne Lamott's words, but such is life.  Perseverance pays, so they say, and I agree.  If at first you don't succeed, try and try again...

I'm curious...do you find fear is a driving force in your writing?  If so, is it the fear of starting something new? The unknown? The outcome of what happens when the writing and editing is complete? 

It is all of the above for me I think.  At least, it is when I over think.  I find I do much better when an idea germinates briefly and springs into my mind, flowing out on paper.  This is probably easiest with the children's picture books I've written, at least for that first rough draft.  But that does give me something with which to work.  It seems to be the longer books that paralyze me once I reach a certain point and am not sure how best to proceed.  Last night, I dreamt of a wall type picture board with various colored sticky notes all over it (those that know me well know I LOVE sticky notes), so I think this is my subconscious helping me figure out how to start getting to the other side of fear on this particular WIP.  Once created, I will post a picture of my sticky note poster board of ideas:)

I'd love to hear how you fight through and past the fear that can grip you or ignore it and press on if able.

Perfectionism

When I am struggling with the what, how, when of writing and trying to "make" the time (please see post from December 5, 2014, regarding balance and making time to write), I find turning to Anne Lamott's BIRD BY BIRD really gets the creative juices flowing.

This morning, I went back to my previously highlighted areas discussing perfectionism and the havoc it can wreak on one's writing life.  Lamott argues that "perfectionism will ruin your writing, blocking inventiveness and playfulness and life force."  She suggests one's attempts to control the environment around us and keep things tidy actually serves to cramp our style.  Ms. Lamott's "bottom line" implies we will not get very far in our writing if we don't "get over" our perfectionism.  We should follow our calling and embrace the "wonderfully fertile ground" clutter and mess provide as..."perfectionism is a mean, frozen form of idealism while messes are the artist's true friend."

Well, my friends, I am attempting to embrace the clutter and mess.  I still can't work in chaos, but I promised myself I would get down to business and write (once things were somewhat in order, that is!), and here I am.  I've not posted on my blog in some time so wanted to do that first and am now about to tackle my current WIP for the next hour plus before needing to go pick up kids.  I look forward to letting loose with the ties that bind my mind to see where it may lead.

I would love to hear your strategies for making the time to write despite any clutter and mess as well as what gets the creativity flowing should you feel obliged. 

Happy weekend and writing!

Renewal

Well, it seems as if my return to blogging post my summer hiatus with kids has been just as sporadic as it was during those family focused months.  For a variety of reasons, life has been chaotic as always to which I'm sure most of you can relate.  I have used what little time I've had to actually write and, therefore, things like blogging have gone by the wayside.  I didn't realize quite how long it had been until I logged on this morning which re-affirmed my commitment to get back to posting more consistently.

In an effort to get the creative juices flowing so to speak, I pulled out Anne Lamott's Bird by Bird to re-read as it has been a very long time.  In the first chapter alone, so much spoke to me but, most importantly, was her discussion about the importance of books.  She says...

"...books are as important as almost anything else on earth.  What a miracle it is that out of these small, flat, rigid squares of paper unfolds world after world after world, worlds that sing to you, comfort and quiet or excite you."

Wow, is that not what we hope, as writers, to create for our readers?  I've always had a love of books, particularly hard cover books though I've caved on that a bit as of late.  Not only can it be an expensive habit but also one of space constraint.  My friends jest about checking out books from my library which isn't too far off; however, I am sorely out of space to add to my collection. 

As a writer, I have a burning desire to create a world, a home away from home, for my reader--an exciting place to go without the rigors of the "real world."  A place to just be and get lost in the pages of a terrific story, whether a short picture book or a longer novel.  It is what I search out and want to find when I read and what I strive to create for my reader.

How about you?  What books do you love to read?  As a writer, do you have aha moments you know will lead you to writing "that" book your reader won't want to put down? 

I'd love to hear from you if you are so inclined.

HELP!

I've a question I wanted to toss out there to see if any of you have a suggestion. I'm finding very little time to sit and write and am a bit stagnant in the thinking capacity in that regard. I have so many great books I've started a bit of here and there but have not finished any. I'm hoping to stimulate some creativity and get myself back in gear, so I wanted to name a few and see if there are some that have been particularly helpful and/or inspiring to any of you out there.

--The Artist's Way, Julia Cameron
--From Where You Dream, Robert Olen Butler
--Chicken Soup for the Writer's Soul, Jack Canfield
--Out of the Dust, Karen Hesse
--How to Write a Children's Book and Get It Published, Barbara Seuling
--Bird by Bird, Anne Lamott
--One Year to a Writing Life, Susan M. Tiberghien
--On Writing, Stephen King
--Writer Mama, Christina Katz

Does anyone care to cast a vote regarding on which book I should first concentrate my efforts? I would appreciate any advice you have to share!

Perfectionism

I seem to be harping lately on all these "self-defeating behaviors" as Margie Lawson would call them. I started my day off reading the following quote by Anna Quindlen:

"The thing that is really hard, and really amazing, is giving up on being perfect and beginning the work of becoming yourself."

I think this holds true in many areas of life though it is writing to which I am currently applying it. It is so true that one must throw oneself out there and take that risk in order to see where it leads. I've a tough manuscript I am working on currently that is a huge challenge. I'm finding myself stagnant sometimes for fear of not doing it justice. The above quote was helpful this morning--I had a "Duh" moment when I read it, another of Margie's terms. It isn't necessary to be "perfect" to just write. I need to just write. As I tell my daughter, "you can't hit the ball if you don't swing the bat!" Duh! I'm going to step up to the plate and see if I can round the bases. I'm hoping for a home run, but we'll see where it leads. I'm up for the challenge.

As Anne Lamott so aptly puts it in Bird by Bird, "Perfectionism...will keep you cramped and insane your whole life, and it is the main obstacle between you and a shitty first draft." At this point, I don't care if my first draft is shitty; I just want to complete my first draft and continue the process of becoming myself.