Archive for the 'Fear' Category

In Praise of Inadequate Writers

I have to think of a story of a time I was a failure,” I said to my family at dinner after reciting the perfunctory prayer and filling our plates with Saturday night pizza. “I can’t think of anything,” I added, laughing. It was clearly not for any lack of material. “Can you think of a time you failed?” Sheri thought
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Writing to Heal the Hole-Hearted

“The Artist is no other than he who unlearns what he has learned, in order to know himself.” – e.e. cummings So many authors wonder how they’ll finally become ready for the “big time.” I get it. I’ve wanted to know that for a long time too–to know my writing was good enough to be chosen. That would be such a rush
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Writing Is a Process, Not a Product

I absolutely love the classic wisdom from Donald M. Murray, Teach Writing as a Process Not Product. Speaking to English teachers and writing instructors, he says too often we become frustrated because we focus on the product, which is subpar. We want literature and what we’re holding is obviously not it. So we use our training and attempt to point out
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How to Value Your Story to Write The Honest Truth

When you’ve decided you’re going to write your story, you need to know it’s the most important thing you could be doing. But unless you value it highly, this can be the most debilitating obstacle. For such a long time, I felt my story wasn’t important. Who wanted to read mine? I didn’t know who my story had made me. It’d been
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Stay In the Process

I received a reply email from an author. “Looks like I have my work cut out for me,” she wrote. She’d been a client for several months and I’d sent my final edit laying out several things she’d need to do before and after sending it to the publisher. Yes, you do have your work cut out, I wanted to
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