Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Skeletons In The Closet


One of the houses I grew up in was known for it's unusual closets.  The house was actually the first one built in my hometown and was nearly a century old when my parents bought it.  The front parlor and sitting room had been converted into two bedrooms with a two way closet between them.  There was something unnerving about that closet and whenever I slept in one of the bedrooms, I always wondered what might be hiding in the closet just waiting to jump out at me.  I thought there was definitely a skeleton or two in that closet and I wanted them to stay in there!


We writers have plenty of skeletons in our mental closets just dying to get out.  Fear, uncertainty, and frustration, just to name a few.  Those skeletons always seem to be lurking somewhere in the back of our minds, just waiting to consume us it we let them.

Sometimes readers look upon writers almost in awe and we don't want to let them down.  Instead of dealing with those skeletons that weigh so heavily on our minds, we decide instead to shove them further back into that closet and hope no one ever discovers them there.


But soon they begin to multiply until we have no choice but to decide what are we going to do with all them bones?  Do we let them continue to pile up until they have buried our creativity so deep that we may never find it again?  Do we try to ignore the skeletons and simply hope they will one day do a vanishing act?  Or do we take a deep breath and face those skeletons head on and vanquish those fears once and for all?

Writers have to realize we aren't alone with our doubts.  Other writers have experienced the same fears we have, and sometimes it's best to reach out to those around us for comfort and inspiration.  This writing community we are all a part of is a vast resource of knowledge and strength to help us weather any storm we may be dealing with, and the friends we make along the way can help clean out those closets for good.

Instead of living our lives trying to hide those skeletons, maybe we should just invite them to the party and let them celebrate that new freedom from fear with us?





7 comments:

  1. You are remarkably inventive in the way you get your message across.

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  2. ohhh that sounds scary having those skeletons in the closet. I wouldn't sleep for a week...lol.
    Wanted to let you know Donna that I have awarded you and your lovely blog not one buy two awards... the Kreativ Blog award and the Sunshine Award. Pop over and pick them up sometime and enjoy.

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    1. Awww, Diane, thank you! My little pile of blog awards is really starting to pile up...might need to make myself an award room just so I can go visit them all once in awhile...lol...

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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    2. Your very welcome.

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  3. Man, that closet would have freaked me out when I was a kid!!! Regular closets were bad enough, but a closet with another entrance? I think there's a really good story in there! And you are right about fear and insecurity etc. - I think we all battle with those pretty frequently, but at least we have each other :)

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    1. Actually, Susanna, I have an outline for a picture book story about that closet! ;0)

      The more I learn about my new friends in this writing community, the more I am impressed by the strength I find in others and how they handle those "skeletons". How can I possibly fail at this new career of mine with so many amazing mentors...like YOU...all around me to help me along? Thanks for all you do for the writing community!

      I'm glad you stopped by and come back any time!

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  4. Sorry, Stephen, I received your comment through my email but for some reason it won't show on my blog. I appreciate your kind words... "You are remarkably inventive in the way you get your message across." and I just wanted to say that I try really hard to make this blog informative, uplifting, and entertaining...no small order...lol

    Thanks for stopping by and TRYING to leave a comment...;-)...come back any time!

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