While balancing a busy writing schedule with life in general, I lose plenty of time procrastinating with the endless wonders of the internet. This past week’s diversionary moments led me to a great post by Bob Mayer on 13 Harsh Truths for writers.
It’s an excellent article writers would be wise to read. But there were more than a few lines of ‘universal truths’ that jumped out at me and stayed with me. From truth #8: “People lie…. No one blogs about “my career has gone down the crapper”…. People talk about good things.” And truth #10: “Fear rules many things in life…”
No matter the industry, it’s easy to find a slew of people talking up how great things are going with this career or that product. Plenty of people promote a sparkly, false notion that they live in absence of fear. It can often be more discouraging than uplifting to hear about the perfection of someone else’s career path.
While I do my best to keep this a positive and upbeat place, I’ve shared plenty of heartbreaking moments along with the celebratory milestones. Neither my career nor my life has been perfect, but then again, I’m an author and there’s no such thing as a linear career path in publishing.
Staying positive isn’t about perpetuating a lie or ignoring the reality of fear. Being positive despite life’s inevitable roller coasters is an outlook. It takes practice. It’s a world view that my dad instilled in me.
You guessed it, I’m usually that annoying person wearing a smile looking around for the silver linings and glass-half-full moments.
Being positive doesn’t mean I don’t get discouraged or frustrated or paralyzed by fear. I have plenty of those moments (ask my husband or kids). Fear happens, but the key is how we cope with it.
There’s at least one fear factor in every manuscript I draft. That point where I’m afraid it’s the worst book ever written, when I fear it will never come together, much less in a timely manner. When I fear I’ve thoroughly botched the last good story idea I’ll ever have.
John Wayne said it so well: Courage is being scared to death… and saddling up anyway.
So afraid or not, I muddle on (usually with an explosive action sequence).
It’s taken time, but I’ve learned the fear factor is just part of my process. It keeps me humble. While fear is an unwelcome speed bump or detour, I’ve learned the silver lining is that fear proves I’m one step closer to nailing it – whatever it happnes to be.
Whatever your fear factor, I encourage you to press on in some wonderful way – big or small – and embrace what’s waiting for you on the other side.
Live the adventure!
