WORDS by Marsha Diane Arnold

No photos in today’s blog. No images. Just words.

Sometimes I just don’t feel like writing. When I’m dealing with health challenges, as I am now, I just don’t feel like writing. When my life is in an upheaval, as it is now, I just don’t feel like writing. When I’m just too busy with taxes and paper work, I just don’t feel like writing. (How are we creatives supposed to be creative with so many numbers and statistics staring at us?)

MOVE TO YOUR WRITING AREA

The truth is these usually aren’t the real reason we’re not writing. The real reason has more to do with fear and inertia.

SIT WITH YOUR COMPUTER OR WRITING PAD

In 2013 I was brought out of a publishing drought when four of my manuscripts were acquired. In 2014 I was happy to sell two more. But I wasn’t ecstatic. What was wrong with all those precious stories editors passed on...rejected? Were my sales simply flukes?

FOCUS.

I’ve started writing a new story. I think it’s an important story, one that needs to be told. But I’m not at all sure how to plot the story, how to find the precious words. I doubt myself and so I procrastinate. It really doesn’t matter if you have sold stories or not...we all doubt ourselves.

CLOSE THE DOOR TO DOUBT.

To overcome fear and doubt, we cannot overvalue the importance of focus. If we’ve discovered that precious idea, we must listen earnestly to the tale it wants to tell, the tale beneath the words. It is from our mind’s attention that our physical story unfolds.

OPEN THE DOOR TO YOUR IMAGINATION

Leafing through REAL SIMPLE magazine (procrastinating) I thought how writing is not real simple. It’s hard and it’s challenging and sometimes it kicks you in the gut.

JUST FOR FUN, CREATE TWO NEW CHARACTERS.
ONE ANIMAL. ONE HUMAN.
LEAVE THEM ON THE PAGE
OR TAKE THEM WITH YOU INTO A STORY.

No photos in today’s blog. No images. Just words. The last are from a Cadillac ad on the back of REAL SIMPLE, because in our heart of hearts don’t we all truly want to be Cadillacs?

“It is not the critic
Who counts;
The credit belongs
To the man who is
Actually in the arena,
Who strives valiantly;
Who errs, who comes
Short again and again;
Who knows
Great enthusiasms;
Who spends himself
In a worthy cause;
Who at the best
Knows in the end
The triumph of
High achievement.
And who at the worst,
If he fails,
At least fails
While daring greatly.
Dare Greatly.”

WRITE THE WORDS

 
An award-winning picture book author, Marsha has six upcoming picture books/board books slated for 2015/2016. The first, Lost. Found., from Neal Porter Books, will be out this fall. Her Writing Wonderful Character-Driven Picture Books course has helped many published and aspiring writers to write stronger characters. Check it out here: http://www.childrensbookacademy.com/writing-character-driven-stories.html