HOW DID YOU KNOW THAT YOU WERE A WRITER?

Ek'abo Ebi! (Welcome Family!)

I’m on Amtrak in route to Norfolk.  I am exhausted and even though I should be taking a much needed nap, I feel compelled to write.  Have you found yourself in such a situation?  Do you find that you must write, even if it’s a simple thought or an idea?  Do you find yourself doodling away on little pieces of paper, or scribbling on the inside of a paperback that happened to be at the bottom of your bag?  Do you whip out your iPad or iPhone mid thought, because you were inspired by something you saw? If you are guilty of this (or other weird behaviors) then you my friend are a writer. 

Here are some of the things and/or thoughts that made me realize that I too was suffering from this ailment. LOL!

1. The birth of a book is a labor of love. I’m still in labor.
2. Critiquing is no longer a bad word.
3. I finally found the courage to introduce myself as a writer.
4. I attend conferences with activities such as Pitchapalooza and the 7 minute pitch. (neither have anything to do w/ baseball)
5. My computer is like a purse, it’s always at my side.
6. Author interviews are the best; especially when they are about me.
7. New and old characters battle for space in my head.
8. New characters take umbrage and get verbal when they don’t like the direction a story has taken.
9. Social Media has become an ally.
10. I visualize my first book signing.
11. The line is around the corner.
12. It’s at Barnes & Noble J
13. Your editor can be your friend or an enemy. (Depending on the day.)
14. You hate the sight of red ink.
15. Dedication takes on a new meaning.
16. So does frustration.
17. You develop a new respect for the term “Writer’s Block.”
18. You wonder if a Masters in Creative Writing is really worth the money.
19. The devil really is in the details; especially when writing a book.
20. Illustrations are also running around in my head.
21. Words like genre, revisions, publishing, and query are a part of regular conversation.
22. You find some way to cook and read at the same time.
23. A closed door in a house full of children is precious.
24. So is silence.
25. Library is a beautiful word.
26. Someone touches your manuscript w/o permission. You threaten bodily harm.
27. My spouse offered to write something on my blog. As sweet as the thought was, I looked at him as if he had two heads.
28. Thesaurus is a good friend of mine.
29. Life has become fodder. It gives me inspiration for new work.
30. Publishing is a goal not just a word.    

Step back and think about it.  How many crazy, weird, quirky, obsessive, flighty, amusing things have you done, that made you realize that you are now among the growing ranks of writers?  Dedicated to their craft and determined to reach their goals.  As my process continues, I believe my list will continue to grow.  As my accomplishments grow, I will look at my list and appreciate all I have done (no matter how silly) because they’ve led me to who I am and who I will become. 

Reach out and tell me! What things have you done that made you realize who you are? I’d love to hear about them J 

Mari e laipe!

See you soon!  

S-

***** 

Thanks for visiting ‘Amachi is Hope.’ If you were inspired or felt a connection with today’s blog (or any of my previous entries) please leave a comment. J

MOTIVATION

Ek'abo Ebi! (Welcome Family!)

I went to see The Secret Life of Walter Mitty last Friday.  It was a great movie.  The main character, Walter Mitty (Ben Stiller) was a man whose life seemed to stand still after the loss of his father. Instead of living life to the fullest as his father would have wanted him to, Mitty lives his life through his action-filled, colorful imagination.  He gets so caught up in his ruminations that he is oblivious to what’s going on around him. 

Mitty’s courage to take a “leap of faith” doesn’t come about until he meets the woman of his dreams.  Her appearance in his life, a milestone birthday and a special message from an important colleague, motivates him to do things he would never have done in the past.  It forced him to think about how his life was progressing – or not progressing LOL.  The movie was inspirational and moving.  Mitty’s character was motivated to do more, because eventually he realizes that he wants to be more than he has become.  And it made me wonder, what motivates a person to write?

Let’s be realistic, I doubt that even the most seasoned writer knows what they want to say all the time.  Even the Rowling’s and Meyer’s of the world have had a moment when they’ve struggled with a scene or found it hard to give a certain character a voice. 

When you write are you compelled to write because something has motivated you to do so?  And if that is the case, what was it?

Is it the approaching New Year and your determination to have something tangible before you by a self-imposed deadline?  Did you see or experience something that inflamed your imagination and gave you ideas for an awesome article, short story or book?  Did a certain song trigger a memory, something that you haven’t thought of in years?  Have you come to the realization that you’ve run out of excuses?  Or are you just tired of saying “I’m writing a book” and yet you are still in the same place you were six months before?

Once we get there, once we’ve starting writing, how do we keep going?  How do we keep the creative juices flowing?  A friend of mine has decided to join a writer’s group.  She has already written her story, but she feels like there maybe something missing.  The story has been edited more than once and she has received a lot of positive feedback.  But she doesn’t understand the rejections she gets from agents and publishers.  It is her hope, that this group will help her see what’s missing or give her even more ideas for her book. She has been motivated to do more by take additional steps towards her future. 

Motivation can come in so many ways.  But it’s up to you to decide the best way to utilize it.  A muse, an emotion, an idea, a painting? What among them helps you create? Are you doing it for yourself or for someone else? Will your book be a gift to another?

I find that motivation can change throughout the writing process.  Our momentum can increase or decrease depending on how far along we’ve gotten. You may have become frustrated because nothing seems to sound right.  And the reams of paper you’ve gone through are embarrassing to admit to.

You may find it hard to stay motivated, because you’ve been writing for years, and you’ve had no luck.  How do you keep positive? How do you not give up? As a new writer, who has just started drinking from that well, I must say it definitely leaves a bad taste in your mouth. LOL!  But you know what, it’s too early in the game for me to give up and I hope you intend to do the same.  Motivate yourself to be the best writer you can be. Associate yourself with people who will motivate you and you them.  It’s hard to stay positive when you surround yourself with people who don’t want the best for you.

There’s a quote that I believe is fitting for today’s message:

“Trust yourself. Create the kind of self that you will be happy to live with all your life. Make the most of yourself by fanning the tiny, inner sparks of possibility into flames of achievement.”    

-Golda Meir-

I hope this quote motivates you as much as it motivates me!

E ku odun tuntun

Happy New Year!

S-

*****

Thanks for visiting ‘Amachi is Hope.’ If you were inspired or felt a connection with today’s blog post (or any of my previous entries) please leave a comment. J

COURAGE

Ek'abo Ebi! (Welcome Family!)

The Obamas met with Malala Yousafzai a few weeks ago.  Everything that she endured, the strength and heart that it took for her to walk that road to recovery, is the epitome of what it means to have courage.  It is obvious that the universe has a plan for her and I cannot wait to see what she will become.

When we witness such an emergence, such a will to endure, can we really sit by and say that we cannot write? I know it’s unfair to make such a comparison.  I mean this young lady was at death’s door and yet here she is.  The survivor within her forced her move forward.

In comparison to her experience, writing should be a piece of cake.  We should take our obstacles off the shelf, examine them, and then put them back. By doing so we will no longer give them the power to deter us from our goals.  We know that the obstacles will always be there, but we now have the courage to move pass them.

We all write for different reasons. There are those that write just for the fun of it. Those that write because they must. (God forbid you flunk your thesis). And those that write because it’s a passion, a calling, a yearning in their blood that cannot be ignored.

As I mentioned in one of my earlier blog entries, life can be a big deterrent when it comes to writing.  But it’s a poor excuse not to.  I have a friend that’s struggling right now.  And yet as bad as it is for her, there are some who have it worst. Homelessness, poverty, hunger, you name it.  Sometimes, I have to check myself when I get in one of my ‘shoulda, woulda, coulda’ moods.  You know the kind. It’s when you look at the direction your life has taken, wonder about the choices you've made and whether you should have done “something” differently in the past. 

Well if you have suffered or are suffering from the ‘Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda’ Syndrome; make your writing the key to pushing pass it.  Make writing a new stage in your life.  So when you look back at all that you have achieved, you will be proud to say that you had the courage to do it.  Be the person who had the courage to talk to that guy or girl. J Be the person who had the courage to start on a new career path.  Be the person who says “yes” instead of “no” all the time. Just be. Small steps are just as grand as big steps.

Even writing and maintain a blog takes courage.  It doesn’t matter if you’ve been doing it for years or you’ve just started.  You are sharing your opinions with people who may or may not care to hear it.

Perhaps you are at the end of your saga. You have no more revisions to be made, your query and synopsis have been finalized, and you’ve even created the perfect marketing tool to promote your book. You no longer have an excuse. Drop that package in the mail; email that agent or publisher.  If you’ve written something out of the ordinary, you may be just the person to clear the way for those that follow.  I hope that this post has given you something to chew on. J

Mari e laipe!

See you soon!  

S-

*****

Thanks for visiting ‘Amachi is Hope’. If you were inspired or felt a connection with today’s blog (or any of my previous entries) please leave a comment. J