Relax into the Joy of Writing

In my experience, criticism is commonplace while sincere compliments are rare for a professional writer. So, what does a writer do to fill up his or her bucket with confidence? Remember that writing is its own reward. The act of writing feeds and fills the soul. It is a form of self-expression that requires bravery, commitment and endurance. Notice that I did not say talent! Although there are many talented writers in the world, many less-than-talented writers see their works in print due to sheer gutsy determination. In point of fact, that’s where most of us start! 

Connect with your inner muse by thinking about something that you would love to write about, and then erase everything else from your mind. Put your brain on idle. Lean back, close your eyes and let your fingers drop the pencil onto the notepad in your lap. As you do, a rush of events, ideas, dialogue and actions will stream into your consciousness. When this happens, it’s easy to act as a creative scribe. Pretend you’re at the movies, that you’re watching images from a great film flicker across the screen. Write down everything. This is the best way, the easiest way, to write!

“All my life,” Anne Lamott said, “I’ve felt that there was something magical about people who could get into other people’s mind and skin, who could take us back to ourselves. And…I still do!”

Let yourself relax and nurture your inner mind. Honest feelings, crisp prose and simple yet telling plotlines with pour out of you. Then, even if your work is not brilliant, it will ring true. Dialogue, character, plotline and conclusions will taste of universal feeling, possessing a “rightness” that would be missing otherwise. Tasting that sweetness is something every writer should experience.

The plain truth is that “Once upon a time…” is very, very real. Our lives are filled with “Once upon a time…” beginnings, middles and ends. If you want proof, just look out your kitchen window. You will see people rushing by in their cars, children playing with pets, utility trucks pulling up to disgorge repairmen. The warp and woof of everyday events makes marvelous backgrounds for poignant storytelling.

One of my dearest friends auditioned with me years ago. We were both selected to perform in the same musical, but she received many more parts than I did. She had a nice voice, but so did I. One day, I asked how she achieved her success. “Oh, I don’t wait for the director to assign my solos,” she said. “I decide which ones I want and go ask him to let me sing them.”

Sometimes the best thing we can do is ask the universe for what we want, then sit back and allow ourselves to receive!