My thoughts are still marinating on the past year. I’m ticking off half-done accomplishments and not-so-successful projects. This type of evaluation can be disheartening, and seems all too common among my writing friends.
One such friend said recently, “Tell me again why we do this.”
I immediately replied, “We do it for love.”
Then I stole some song lyrics from “The Glory of Love.” (I may have sung them.)
The advice in the song isn’t half bad. At the risk of sounding corny in this post, I’m going with the idea of taking, giving, and of course, the inevitable heartbreaking writers encounter, and plan to apply it to the coming year.
Take a Little Instruction
Trying to learn a skill without listening to instruction is a natural recipe for disaster, yet it’s oh-so-tempting to forgo the process of continuing education to become a writer. After all, people start talking and figuring out language before they can brush their teeth, and storytelling isn’t far behind. However, for most of us, producing a great work requires a bit of skill sharpening. There are exceptions, but in my experience, to create words that connect with readers in a deep way takes a huge effort.
I suspect this is why my piano teacher used to say, “Practice makes perfect.” As far as I can tell, practice doesn’t always lead to perfection, but generally produces improvement in whatever I’m tackling.
Take a Little (or Big) Chance
From the moment pen is put to paper or fingers to keyboard, this writing gig is about taking chances. Even in the musings I share with no one but myself, the act of writing challenges me to think, examine my beliefs, and clarify those thoughts . . .
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Donna Jo Stone 