Thursday, August 2, 2012

Letter To Self




Dear Me,


I wish  you could see yourself as I do.  


Strong.  Confident.  Challenging the writing world head on with no regrets.  I know the decision you made to pursue your writing career was not an easy one.  To finally admit to yourself there is something out there which drives you to write and can't be denied.  To bare a part of yourself within your stories and then pray the world will not shred a part of your soul in the process of reading them.  


I know you struggle with all the obstacles standing in the way of you and your "baby".  Time, writer's block, and LIFE itself can easily get in the way and prevent you from reaching your goals.  But you're not a quitter.  You don't give up without a fight.  You are one of those people who grabs the bull by the horns and wrestles your demons to the ground. In this fight, I want you to remember three things.


Remember sometimes you have to "kill your darlings" in order to release a more perfect version of your vision. Sometimes it is better to prune the tree so the fruit may grow.  Don't be so hard on yourself when those days come along where you sit in front of a piece of paper or that blank screen and you wonder if your muse has deserted you. And believe me, those days WILL come.  They may tax your inner strength but remember they don't define you as a writer.  They are mere bumps in the road to publication. 


Remember to be kind to the critique partners, beta readers, agents, publishers and anyone else who may be in a position to judge your work.  Their goal is not to tear you down but lift you up.  To challenge you to strengthen your writing skills and polish your created worlds until they are more real than the real world itself.  Read their words of wisdom, be it harsh or reassuring, and trust that they are in your corner.  Without the writers of this world, there would be no need for all the others and without all the others, writers could not exist at their highest level of expectation.


But most of all, dear ME, remember to take care of YOU.  To cherish these moments of dreaming and writing.  To celebrate the uniqueness which makes each one of us the perfect person to write our own story.  Make sure to take time to play.  To let your inner child roam among the clover and dance with the fairies.  To count shooting stars in the moonlight.  To sail on the mystic ship to the lands of Lunadar or wherever you may choose.  To live life to the fullest and to never allow a day go by where you say to yourself..."if only I had lived my life differently"...


Print this letter out and put it where you can look upon it any time you begin to question yourself.  Do it NOW.  Write it NOW.   Be it NOW and embrace all the laughter and tears that are sure to come with this wonderfully fabulous journey toward becoming a published author.  You can do this!  I have faith in you!


Signed,


Future You




(I apologize to all my readers for not posting Wild Wednesday blog yesterday.  I had an emergency which took much longer than expected.  I will put up TWO Wild Wednesday posts next week to tickle your fancy... ;~)

16 comments:

  1. This. was. wonderful. Thank you. Now -- where are the tissues?

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    1. Thank you, Beth, for your kind words. I think sometimes of how other writers must feel on this journey. How some must lose their way or begin to doubt themselves and I wanted to give them something they could hold onto until the moment passes...and it WILL pass if they let it...

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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  2. That was a great post Donna! Thank You :)

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    1. Thanks, Kathy...I try...;~)

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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  3. I've awarded you the Blog on Fire Award! Congratulations! Details are here... http://cupcakepetrillo.wordpress.com/2012/08/02/award-on-fire/
    Love and licks,
    Cupcake

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    1. Thank you, Cupcake! I was actually visiting YOUR blog while you were visiting MINE just now...;0)

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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  4. I really need to write one of these letters to myself. Wise words.

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    1. Hi Rena! I'm sure everyone could benefit from writing a letter like that to themselves. I think writers are their own harshest critics...;0)

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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  5. Now read it every day when you're feeling down! I need to write one of my own.

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    1. Hi Karen! I think I will print it out and pin it up in my study so I won't forget it...especially when I'm stressing...;0)

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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  6. Oh thankyou, thankyou Donna, that was beautiful!

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    1. Hi Diane! I'm glad you found some value in my ramblings..;~)

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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  7. Are you sure I didn't come to you disguised as you because what you wrote sounded like so much of what I needed to hear. Thank you!

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    1. Lol, Angela, I had to read your comment twice before I could get the visual straight in my head! I was pretty sure when I wrote it that there would be people out there who could relate...;0)

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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  8. Inspiring, Donna! This should be made into a writer's poster!

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    1. Hi Tina! Thank you for your kind words...I'm honored that you think today's post is worthy of posterity...If someone can relate and it helps lift their spirit then I have done my job...;~)

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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