Say Anything

Writer's block, I believe, is about withholding who you are...not being able to fully express yourself because your internal filter is on.

What if we were able to remove that filter and just say whatever flows? What if we just let loose everything without fear of being criticized?

When it comes down to it, does it really matter what others think? In that moment of writing, isn't it more important to say what we feel, feel what we say?

When we are authentically creating, our readers know we are genuine. They can feel it. If you try to pull the wool over their eyes with drivel, they will know it. Readers can sense it.

Think back to a book you read where you weren't feeling it. Yeah, you know it.

Get into that feeling place of what you are writing. Write. Write. Write. Who cares what you've written...just write. Let the words flow. Go ahead...say it. Say something.

Say Anything.

" A career? I've thought about this quite a bit sir and I would have to say, considering what's waiting out there for me, I don't want to sell anything, buy anything, or process anything as a career. I don't want to sell anything bought or processed, or buy anything sold or processed, or repair anything sold, bought or processed as a career. I don't want to do that. My father's in the army. He wants me to join, but I can't work for that corporation, so what I've been doing lately is kick-boxing, which is a new sport. As far as career longevity, I don't really know. I can't figure it all out tonight, sir, so, I'm just gonna hang with your daughter." - Lloyd Dobler from Say Anything

The Flow of Writing

The flow of writing. What is it? And why is it uber-important?

Being in the flow of writing means not backing down from your story and not editing your words before they hit the page. It means expressing yourself as you are and how you want to.

It's your book, dammit! Get your words out there and write like your fingers are on fire.

"But...but", you might stutter, "how does writing 'whatever comes out' get me an agent/publisher/on the best seller list?"

The point, and I know this is going to sound redundant, is that you let the words flow out of you. The next step, after you have your story on the page, is to go back and make the changes you need to make. But, stay in the flow of your self-expression.

Readers will see through you if your story is awkward. They will know when you are not writing as 'you' should be writing. It just won't flow.

I discovered a blog by a recently published author and I love it. This woman is funny and natural and I want to make her my new best friend. Her book isn't out till September, but, just by reading her posts, I want to read her book. There is nothing forced there.

If you want to check it out, go to Kiersten White's blog at Kiersten Writes.

Stay in the flow.

Where Are You Going Today?

So, where are you going today with your writing?

What? No where?

How come?

No inspiration?

I see.

Sometimes the inspiration that comes to us doesn't have to be the idea that becomes the bestselling novel.

Take this blog post for example. Hardly award winning. It started out with trying to find something to write about. The question, "Where are you going with your writing today?" was really directed toward me. Where am I going?

I have freelance projects that are due, but I really want to get my book 'Reinventing Rita' past the first draft.

Hold on. I'm getting off topic. I was talking about inspiration. Finding something that inspires you doesn't have to be this amazing thing....like a mountain or a sunset or the calm of a lake. It can be a breadbox, if that's what really gets you going.

It can be an action: Going to the breadbox and finding there is no bread.

It can be the desire to buy a breadbox and how it would really make life easier.

It could also be figuring out what the heck a breadbox is. (My husband has no idea. When I explained it to him, he said I was old.)

Find the thing that gets you to write and write about it. Who cares if it doesn't go anywhere...you really didn't waste any time. Did you have something better planned today?

If you are looking for inspiration, check out my website at www.thewritersmentor.ca .

What's Your Story?

I took some time off to think about my own writing situation; I did some much needed reflecting.

What we want in life comes down to this: What is your story? What story are you making up or telling yourself that you truly believe about yourself? Now, really think about that story.

Is it really true? Is it an accurate measure of who you want to be? Is it a story made-up through the years by friends and family members; a story that you took on as true?

We can change our story. We can choose for ourselves in every moment who we are.
So, what's your story? And, are you strong enough to change it to what you want?

Why You Should Follow Through with Your Ideas

About 5 years ago, I came up with an idea for a book that I felt would be great to work on as soon as I finished the book I was writing at the time.

I wrote down my impressions/thoughts about the book, the character's names, how the story would progress. I also wrote about 10 pages of a scene just to get the ball rolling.

I then tucked the notebook away thinking that I would come back to it when I had the time.

It turns out I should have jumped on the idea a whole lot quicker than I thought as the book is now a best seller written by someone else. The funny thing is, my main character's name is exactly the same name as the main character in this author's book (and it's not a common name).

No, my work wasn't stolen. However, I do believe that we are all given creative ideas that we either choose to run with or leave languishing in a drawer somewhere.

I chose the latter.

The point is, I should have kept writing. I should have continued, no matter what. This is not to say my book would have become a best seller, but I do feel like I robbed myself of something really great.