Great stories fill my life. Unforgettable tales live in my memory, flow through my veins, and imbed themselves in my DNA. A tiny seed ignites a bright idea. I can write a book, a voice whispers, and my journey begins. Teachers recommend reading everything in our chosen genre and developing a daily writing habit. I scribble, read, edit, and compare my product to best-sellers, and deem my efforts lacking. A niggling doubt blossoms into abject fear of never being “good enough.”
My reactions vary. I could give up, or vow to work harder, and descend into workaholic over-achiever mode. I obsess with unproductive comparisons, or rationalize, delay, procrastinate, and otherwise avoid working on my dream.
Those traps reveal a logic flaw. I haven’t discovered a definition or consensus of an exemplary narrative or the criteria for “good enough.” The search for a sure-fire story formula leads to subjective evaluations. Readers have personal preferences, some devour romance, while others call them formulaic. Futuristic technology, which doesn’t exist, does not dissuade die-hard sci-fi fans.
I must learn to practice kindness. Brilliance is not a prerequisite to start my expedition and genius is not the end goal. The only requirement is writing to the best of my ability today. I consider the people I admire and find I focus on the things they do well, not their flaws. Emulating their bravery is the path I follow. I trust my novel will resonate with some readers, and I persevere.
How do you create your best story?
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Keep on writing.
Jo Hawk The Writer
i appreciate that last line the most, not all writing will appeal to all, and we must persevere if we want our story told. Often times we take rejection so personally and lose confidence and inspiration. Thank you for this encouraging post.
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Staying positive and maintaining our objectivity is so hard, especially when we work in relative isolation. But I believe even if only one person benefits, the story is worth the effort. Keep on writing, Gina. ❤
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will do Jo, thank you for the wonderful encouragement.
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Reblogged this on The Reluctant Poet.
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Thank you for the reblog. ❤
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My pleasure, My Dear!
xoxo
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