Friends & Enemies
“And by the way, everything in life is writable about if you have the
outgoing guts to do it, and the imagination to improvise. The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.”
~ Sylvia Plath
The same old adage you teach your kids, “Choose your friends
wisely,” is just as applicable to you as a writer. Here’s a few fellas that
would be worth making into your new best buddies…
GUTS
Writing takes boldness. Not the part where you squirrel away
with your laptop and create fantastical tales. Anyone can do that. It’s the
pitching of your work, the querying, the sending out of proposals that takes intestinal fortitude. Why? Because of the dreaded rejection factor. It takes
guts to share your best piece of writing knowing that you might receive a
this-is-the-worst-writing-I’ve-ever-seen kind of response.
The best way to cultivate a relationship with this new buddy
of yours is to stop overthinking yourself. In the words of Nike, sometimes you
just gotta do it. Write your best, comply to all the guideline requirements of
your chosen agent or publisher, then just send it off. Do not overthink
yourself and don’t dwell on the possible negative reply you might get back.
IMPROVISATION
If you wait to write a manuscript until you learn all the
writerly rules, you’ll never begin. Sometimes you just have to improvise. Go
with your instincts. Take a risk and wing it. Honestly, sometimes when you
improvise your writing, your story takes on a fresh new angle. Throw out your
inner editor and let your thoughts flow onto your paper. Improv is a bff kind
of skill.
Now then, there’s one shady character I need to warn you to
stay far away from. He’s the creeper that stalks you, draped in a trench coat,
and has really bad personal hygiene habits. His name?
SELF-DOUBT
Second guessing yourself is enemy number one. Why beat
yourself up when there are so many others who are willing to do it for you?
Write your best and don’t be ashamed of it. It is what it is. You’ll always
have areas for improvement so it’s a waste of time to fret over your foibles.
Open your hand and let it go.