Facing Rejection

Debra B. Darvick provided the author interview for this week in my Bylines 2010 Writer's Desk Calendar. She talked of facing and overcoming rejection and not letting it stop her from writing and moving forward.

As writers, we all (or the great majority anyway) face rejection and must find the strength to continue on and not let it reign as the voice of negativity. I found Ms. Darvick's words quite inspiring this morning and wanted to share them with you as you start a new writing week.

"Whatever our stage as writers--taking those first tentative steps at submission or staking out territory in a new genre--we incur rejection. By facing it and moving on, we give those who follow the courage to join us on the road."

Happy writing!

BIC

In reading the author interview accompanying this week in my Bylines Writer's Desk Calendar, I was reminded again of very important advice: butt in chair! This is particularly important this week as I embark on my first ever MUSE Online Writers Conference.

In the interview, Diane Stark discusses how she uses her daily life events--field trips with kids, weight loss, marriage, divorce, etc.--as the basis of her writing. Ultimately, that is what we writers do--turn daily events into something others want to read. What helped me this morning was Diane's advice to...

"Live your life, paying attention to the story ideas around you. And then apply the seat of your pants to the seat of the chair and write." Great advice and reminder to start out a Monday and new writing week. Thank you, Diane!

Path of Least Resistance

In the Bylines calendar author's interview for the week, Laura Lee Carter spoke to me in a very profound way. Her words fit right in with all of my spouting of procrastination and lack of time. Perhaps, just perhaps, this is why I am so good at procrastinating?!! She says...

"It is far easier to keep to the path of least resistance, than to take a risk, stand up for yourself and make a difference. You don't need to analyze it to death. Just figure out what gives your life meaning and follow that path. Be courageous and live your dream."

Thank you, Ms. Carter, for the very wise words! I do analyze everything to death and frequently hesitate to take that risk and stand up for myself. Hence, the procrastination. It's hard to fail without an attempt--especially when half the people around just don't get it! But, writing is my dream and is what gives great meaning to my life. I will follow that path and be courageous. I hope you all do as well.

Bylines Inspiration

Do you own the Bylines 2010 Writer's Desk Calendar? I do and really love reading the messages from authors as I turn a new page each week. This week, I found particular inspiration from Jane Wenham-Jones. If you've not seen this calendar, it is a weekly planner for writers. As one turns each page, the left page is an author interview; the right, the weekly calendar. This week, the featured author was Jane Wenham-Jones. She spoke about writing when there seems to be no time. The words that really hit me were the following:

"I say if you wait until you've got the time to write, you never will have. However busy you are with kids, jobs and families, if you really want to do it, you just have to write anyway."

So true, so true. An author at a recent writer's conference I attended spoke of the same. Don't wait for the big blocks of time. They just don't happen. Writers write. We just need to do it. Now!

So, now, today, tomorrow and each day forward, let us all commit to want to do it and to do it. Each and every day. Even if it is only 15 minutes at a crack!

If you want to learn more about Jane Wenham-Jones, go to www.janewenham-jones.com. To learn more about or purchase a Bylines Writer's Desk Calendar, go to www.bylinescalendar.com.

Bylines Writer's Desk Calendar

Do any of you use the Bylines Writer's Desk Calendar? I did so in 2008 and purchased it again for 2009. While it has been extremely helpful to have a calendar specifically for my writing and writing-related activities, the snippets of information gained from the authors' interviews have been awesome. One particularly good one recently was that of Cindy Allen, a writer and pilot who lives in Missouri. In her interview, she talked of sleepwalking through the motions of daily activities and reminding herself to be aware of the present.

She says..."Walking past story ideas happens when the brain is on autopilot. I've found that writing realistic stories begins by disconnecting the autopilot and actively observing life around me."

Reading this created a profound, "duh" moment as Margie Lawson would call it. All too often, it is so easy to get caught up and carried away by life's events and activities rather than paying attention and using them to our advantage. I, for one, am very guilty of switching my writer's hat on and off and not paying attention to the present and all it offers. So, I am going to make a concerted effort to focus on the present and pay attention to the story possibilities around me regardless of which hat I am wearing at the moment--writer, speech path, mom, wife, etc. Here's to the demise of my brain on autopilot! Thank you Cindy Allen and Sylvia Forbes for putting together such a great planner.