HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!
Yes,
I realize my first post is late, and we’re already well into February. Forgive
me, please? I’ve been running around like a squirrel on steroids, but that’s no
excuse—believe me, I know.
Anyhoo,
to kick things off I’ve decided to introduce Motivation Monday. Every Monday
I’ll share with you the shiny pearls of wisdom I’ve gathered over the years, or simply
encourage you on your writing journey. We’re in this together, aren’t we?
Today’s
topic is about the dream-strangling parasite known as FEAR. Why am I writing about
it? Well, I’ve suffered from this ailment,
and I recently just confronted it and dealt with it. Hopefully, I can help you do
the same—or at least point you in the right direction.
Look … what
I’ve come to realize, after years of frustration and self-doubt, is that you’ll
never get anywhere in life until you step out of your own way and get out of your comfort zone. What do I mean
by that? Don’t worry, I'll tell you.
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| Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net |
If you want
to be a writer and you exhibit any of the following symptoms, then you, my
friend, suffer from FEAR. And fear (a condition that’s best faced head-on) is
the number one enemy to creativity and success. Fear doesn’t just mean shaking
in your boots at the thought of publishing your ‘baby.’ Fear could be a pesky version of
perfectionism. Or a need to rewrite a great sentence a trillion times.
SYMPTOMS:
1) IT’S NOT PERFECT. NO ONE CAN READ IT
YET
Guess
what? Keep holding your work close to your chest and no one will EVER read
it. I’ve
been writing for publication since 2008, but I haven’t released a single book.
Protecting my manuscripts from the world, because they’re not perfect and need
another tweak, has hurt me in the process. I’ve become jaded and fearful, and I
have nothing to show for years of hard work.
What we all need to understand is that the books we write are not for us. They don't belong to us. They belong to our readers. If you're anything like me, you’re cheating someone of a beautiful
experience by refusing to let go.
LET
GO.
2) I’VE LET IT ‘SIMMER’ FOR TWO MONTHS.
HM, I THINK TWELVE MORE MONTHS SHOULD DO IT
Don’t
get me wrong, I don’t mean you should rush to publish a first or second draft
that's barely received an edit or a critical assessment. I'm talking about 'that
book' that your critique partners have read, that your editor has sent back with a flashing, neon-green tick, but you still seek out more opinions. You know, deep down inside, that it’s ready, but ‘something’ tells you to wait.
To start something else that you’ll also tuck away somewhere safe where it’ll
never see the light of day.
Listen
to me, I’ve become a PRO at this and I’m not ashamed to admit it. Instead of
falling back on the self-hatred I used to feel whenever I realized another year
had passed without a release, I’ve come to accept that it was a flaw and a
lesson I needed to learn.
Fear will always make you think you're not ready … that
you may have missed something important. But guess what? Unless you have super
powers, chances are your book will never be perfect. Once you publish that
baby, you might wish you'd changed something. Even the great J.K. Rowling
wishes she hadn’t killed off someone, or paired two people together. Is Harry
Potter not one of the best series out there? Do you think we would’ve ever
sighed in wonder and counted down the seconds until the next book, or movie, if
she hadn’t sent the manuscript to her publisher? NO.
The
people who are meant to read your book are waiting somewhere out there. They've been waiting and searching fruitlessly for your exact book—all because you've
been finding every excuse not to take that leap.
MISTAKES HAPPEN.
Have you ever read a book that may have had a typo here and there, but you absolutely adored
it and read it over and over and over again? I’m in no way encouraging sloppy
editing, mind you, but I’m telling you to STOP putting unnecessary pressure on
your poor, little shoulders. If you’ve done all you can to make it shine—get that
book out there!
3) I NEED ANOTHER SET OF EYES
True story: I’ve been on forums where people have listed manuscripts that have been critiqued by thirteen other people, yet ‘need’ five or more extra look-overs. Trust me, you don’t want all those opinions messing with your head.
A site I follow suggests a writer pair up with one or two critique partners (and two trusted beta readers, if they want). Your editor should be the only person you add to this list. If Anna tells you your hero’s unlikable, Kim says he’s a god, Joan says he’s annoying, Colleen says he’s a sweetheart, and then Brittany tells you he’s the best you’ve ever written, whilst Monica claims she likes him but doesn’t think he’s suited to the heroine … what are you going to do? Don’t back yourself into a corner where you’ll start doubting everything all over again.
Connect with a small group of people who share the same tastes as you. Getting a prim-and-proper M/F reader to critique/beta-read an erotic M/M story is asking for trouble.
4) PROCRASTINATION
I want to write, but…. But nothing! Procrastination is
procrastination is procrastination is fear.
Ooh,
let me dust the door frames real quick. I don’t want Mr. Freckles, my cat, to
get sick. That just won’t do.
Ooh,
let me visit Shirley. Didn’t she say she bought a new cactus?
Ooh,
let me see what’s happening on Facebook. I’ll only be two minutes, I promise.
Um,
no, park your patootie and finish that book. Publish the dang thang. If you feel it ‘isn’t
right yet,’ or you can’t afford a decent editor, sending it to a publisher who guarantees
a thorough edit might be best. And you know they'll drop you faster than a
spider if you play around and miss deadlines.
5) OBSESSIVE DISSECTION OF ARTICLES AND
SELF-HELP BOOKS
You
never stop learning, that much is true. However, if you'd rather read thousands
of how-to articles, instead of actually writing and applying the knowledge
you've gained so far, then you, my friend, are in the clutches of fear.
You're
so afraid that you don’t know enough. You actually believe that your writing isn’t good enough. That's why
you keep seeking validation from outside sources. The only thing is the
overflowing knowledge-banks aren’t going to write or publish your book for you. Deep
down you know you have enough for now,
but you keep seeking, and seeking, and seeking (you get the drift). Give
yourself room to grow and improve as you write and publish more books.
The
danger of overloading your brain with too much advice is that you’ll end up
confused. One writer might tell you to avoid this or that, another might tell
you if you don’t do it this way you’re doomed. Soon, you’ll find yourself paralyzed,
staring at a blank screen with your imagination stifled. All the voices in your
head will scream at you that you’re doing it wrong.
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| Image courtesy of David Castillo Dominici at FreeDigitalPhotos.net |
6) KEEPING UP WITH OTHER AUTHORS’ REVIEWS
TO GAGE WHAT YOU SHOULD AND SHOULDN’T DO
You're
so obsessed with what readers are saying about your favorite authors that you’re
afraid to give anyone a piece of yourself in case they tear you to pieces. You
know the problem with this?
It
dries up your creativity.
Let's say you love reading and writing about soft
heroines who are super-feminine, but you come across a review that blasts soft
women as weak or boring…. Guess what? You're going to change an important
character trait to please someone else, and you won't be true to yourself. You'll
lose your voice, because what makes you special
dies. You can never please everyone, my dear.
Don’t
let fear steal your identity. The world needs you, not a recycled version of
another author or naysayer. If
you love growling Alphas, give them to us. If you love bad-ass, blade-wielding
heroines, give them to us. If you love clean, no-sex mysteries, give them to
us. Give us you, and those of us who
deserve more of your light will follow you.
Yes,
you might get scathing one-star reviews, but that's how the world works.
Haven't you ever eaten something and wanted to throw up, but found your friend
or sibling loving it and licking their fingers? Diversity is essential to life. If we all had to eat peanut-butter sandwiches for the rest of
our lives, how much do you want to bet we'd end up sick and malnourished? Bestselling
writers get scathing reviews, too. Instead of having a panic attack, think of
it as a rite of passage and shake the haters off like Taylor Swift.
Don’t
be afraid to be heard. And don’t punish your future loyal readers who’re searching
through forums and blogs for books like yours.
7) WHAT ARE BESTSELLING AUTHORS WRITING,
AND HOW?
Growing
is great, learning new techniques is awesome, but not at the expense of your
voice. We already have Stephenie Meyers. We want [insert your name here].
Trends
are great (when they last), but don’t follow them because you’re afraid to venture into new, undiscovered territory. Be the one who creates the trends, even if they’re weird. Someone
out there will love you for it. And even if they don’t, you’ll be proud of
yourself, you’ll be free from guilt, and you’ll have loads of fun in the
process.
8) WHAT IF NO ONE LIKES IT?
The
sad fact is someone will dislike your book and cast it aside without finishing
it. You can’t please everyone. I love Harry
Potter, but my cousin hates the series and claims unrealistic stories are a waste of brain cells.
Millions
adored Fifty Shades of Grey. Millions
cast literary stones at the novel in disdain. Whoever
is meant to love your work will love it. Whoever is meant to hate it will hate it. You can’t avoid
this. So, instead of cowering in fear, claim the story you bled over and hold
your head high.
Most
importantly, be kind to yourself. We can never get rid of fear altogether, but
we can manage it. Acknowledge that you’re afraid, and do what you have to do anyway. Take that
leap! You’ll never know until you try. I hope this helps someone, even in the
smallest way.
Lotsa love,
Gaeille
