Step Out Into the Open

I am a little blip on this intricate, cluster fuck of an internet web. Yet, somehow, I was still nervous as hell when I first put my website up and made my writing open to the public.

In reality, the public that would actually read my blog, consisted of the tiniest slice of pie from the billions who consume information on the internet. Even knowing this to be the case, I was still frightened by what others would think of me. Worried that these readers would pull apart every word I wrote and guffaw as they read my work, saying to themselves, “What an amateur.”

Here is the thing: I have not gotten much attention for what I have written on my blog, but I have received some encouragement. People have reached out who also want to write and get together to talk about writing. This is an incredible thing! I get to build a network, encourage others and in return be encouraged by them.

In the meantime, I am practicing my writing skills weekly and getting over the idea of being critiqued by every eye that glances at my work. Take advantage of this time where people are not taking notice in you to develop and mature at your craft, your art. This time is invaluable. While you’re doing this, reach out to others who are passionate about the same work and create relationships with them. You can learn from each other and push off of each other’s momentum to become better.

Remember: You won’t get much attention by others for a while, but keep showing up every day. This growth period will get you ready for when the criticism begins taking place and you will be stronger for it. Keep pushing through and creating! As you do so, you will forget that you were ever even nervous in the beginning. You’ll be too busy creating to have such trivial worries infiltrate your thoughts.  

To "The End"

Once you sit down, determined to create a masterpiece of writing, take that moment to make the conscious decision to commit to the piece until it is finished. In this technologically advanced world, distractions are waiting around every corner, beckoning you to partake of its forbidden fruits. The power, however, remains in your hands to maintain control.

Each day from that starting point of writing your newest novel or short, make the effort to continue with that story. If you keep your focus on that piece of writing, instead of writing a little about this and a little about that, then your story as a whole will be more complete and succinct. However, if you are pulling your brain in too many different directions, your work will suffer and may not be the strongest piece as what you had first envisioned that day you sat down and began creating that brilliant work that you knew would become your legacy.

I have fallen into the sticky situation of writing two pieces at once. Quickly realizing that both pieces were suffering for it, I decided to put my long novel aside and focus on writing and editing my short to completion before jumping back into the novel. My short is almost finished and I will be releasing it in the next two weeks, so I will soon be switching gears and concentrating all of my attention on the novel.  

The daunting thought of picking up my novel again has been creeping to the forefront of my brain as the time draws near for me to turn my attention back to its story. What I have concluded is that it would have been much easier to have been solely dedicated to one writing at a time, and not taking a long break from telling a story. In a way I feel a little disconnected from the novel now, and I know it will take much effort for me to get back into that time and place of that particular story. I know that I must do it, and I will, but the struggle will be greater because of the process I chose to follow.

Simply put, learn from my mistakes and stay dedicated to one story at a time. Let yourself be fully transplanted to that other world, without hopping from one world to another. This will make your process much easier, not to mention a lot more fun; you get to stay in an alternate world and lose yourself within the story. In the end, you will complete your stories in a quicker fashion, tell them in a stronger, connected voice, and boost your confidence moving forward, knowing that you can write a story to its “The End.”

Fighting Your Own Lazy Self

I have already written a blogpost about this concept, but it does not make it any less true. It is fucking hard to say no to bullshit. Sleepiness takes over and it feels as if I am operating at half my normal speed.

“This day has been rough. I deserve a break,” I say to myself. Sometimes I really am my own worst influence.

There is a sense of frustration and jealousy about what other people are doing.

“They get to go out and have a good time whenever they want,” I think.

So yes, there is some truth here. Maybe your friends are going out and playing around, but you are hustling and making your dreams become a reality. You are sacrificing now, so that later, when everyone is still playing, you are sitting on a successful published novel or business.

Look at the people of whom you find yourself jealous.

Think through what you are jealous about. Is it their lack of responsibility? Their care free actions?

Now, imagine where you will be a year or two from now. Your hard work will start to pay off in the years to follow. Do you think those who are dilly dallying and experiencing instant gratification will be in the same successful situation as you in the years to follow?

Simply answered, no, they will not.  

Know that your efforts put forth right now will pay off in the future. Use this reminder to boost you in the times you crave to throw out your responsibilities and just have fun instead.

I do firmly believe that you should kick back every now and again and go out on the town, but those should be special times thoughtfully planned.

Stop yourself from feeling like you are missing out as you struggle to put your main priorities first. Rather, think about how next year and the years after that you won’t be sad about that night you didn’t go out, nor that time you didn’t waste hours on social media. Why? Because your success will have lifted you to new heights and the thought of how you felt back then will seem trivial.

Transplant yourself in your future self’s shoes and tell your present self, “Get over it. Keep working your ass off. We’ve got shit to accomplish if you want to make it to this point.”