Whether writing Poetry or
writing Fiction, have you ever entered the phase of your writing where you were
just stumped, puzzled, confused, baffled, disheartened and unable to move on?
Did you ever feel that your writing was just not up to par? Were you ever at a
point where you looked at what you had written and it just seemed worthless,
simplistic and insignificant? Of course you had. You actually sat there and stared at your
computer screen, feeling terribly embarrassed that someone may one day read
this garbage you just wrote. You had great ideas in your head, but some of
those words you had chosen to express those ideas in your poetry or fiction,
just did not convey the message you desired; just did not create the images you
desired; just did not arouse the emotions you desired. We’ve all been there,
done that, and felt like failures.
So now what do you do? You get up and take a break and dwell in self-pity.
You look into a mirror in your home, and begin to wonder who you really are.
Are you a writer? You certainly don’t feel like one. Yet writing is your
passion, your greatest love; and yes, this IS
who you really are. You look back
into the mirror and notice yourself blushing from thoughts of humiliation,
thoughts of self-consciousness, thoughts of self-doubt; questioning your own worth
and your own creativity. The person staring back at you is not someone you like
or admire right now. That image of YOU
lacks self-esteem, exudes sadness, and has lost the glow in its eyes. That image
of you seems weak; it seems broken. -
No! No! No! Can’t have that now! Those are simply images of how you see
yourself at this particular moment in time, as you struggle to create…Those
images are not who you are! Those images are not real! – So, what now? – You
must look away with determination and a renewed strength. You must get back up
again and become whole. You must do what is near and dear to your heart. You
must write beautiful poetry and create marvelous fiction. Yet still, you feel a
part of your soul has been ripped out of you and you are unsure as to how to
start over again. You are frozen in time
with no direction ahead of you. You are lost and alone without a friend in the
world. You struggle to move forward, but you are drowning in quicksand. You are
stuck in your own mind.
Well - have no fear, dear writer. I know those feelings all too well.
I’ve seen those images in my own mirror many times. However, I’ve also discovered
that there were three very special and loyal friends at my disposal, who would
be more than happy to help if I called upon them. So may I introduce you to
them? One is the “omnipotent” Dictionary, that will provide
you with any word you need, listed in alphabetical order, ready to save you
with a quick jump into your poetry and/or fiction. This friend will provide the
meanings to any word you choose, and show you the correct form and pronunciation
of every word you select. Now is that a great friend, or what?
Well, there is more to come. Your second special and loyal friend is the “unfailing”
Thesaurus,
that will provide you with a wide selection of magical words, allowing you to
choose the ones that best suit your needs, emotions and creative mind at the
time of your writing. Thesaurus will pick up where you leave off, so that only
the most perfect words will become your most
perfect poetry and your most perfect
fiction. Isn’t that a magnificent friend to also have on your side? Feel
better? - Okay then…Well, we now have your third special and loyal friend here
that will take you on journeys which have no bounds. Journeys where you can
research any information you need to know about, any information you need to
learn about, or any information you need to verify in order to write your
poetry and tell your stories with clarity and realism. That third precious friend is “informative” Google. I know you’ve spent lots of quality time with
this friend. I have, and it’s been well worth it.
So now, I’d say you are on your way to writing the most harmonious poetry
and the most unique fiction at every attempt. You will continue to create
beauty from this day forward; beauty that you will share with the world with
great pride, not painful embarrassment. Treasure these three friendships, for
they will never let you down. Keep them by your side at all times. Be sure they
are only a “reference” book away or, better still, a click away on your
computer. Feel free to download the “omnipotent” Dictionary and “unfailing” Thesaurus apps to
your phone. “Informative” Google is already there.
Remember, they will never leave your side if you never leave their side. Carry
them with you. They want a “literary” relationship with you that will continue
to flourish. They will forever guide you, assist you and enhance you as you
write, write, and write some more.
Be brave now. Go take a look in that mirror again. I guarantee the person
staring back at you has been made whole again.
That person is confident, strong, creative, happy, smiling and one you
will forever admire and respect, once again. That person is YOU - a successful writer, who now has the most
valuable and treasured support from three very special friends.
A few parting words…REMEMBER
THIS:
If your poetry is meant to
take your readers to emotional depths, you must be sure your words are
perfectly chosen in order to match the theme of your poem and the passion in
your soul.
If your fiction is meant
to take your readers on fabulous journeys, you must be sure your information is
accurate, factual, honest and true, so your fiction is believable and your
characters real.
