Author: carol

When writers tell me this is why work is not progressing, it reminds me of waiting for the elusive Godot. He never comes. We spend a lot of time wondering why. We never figure it out.

If you wait for inspiration to write; you’re not a writer, you’re a waiter.–Dan Poynter

Inspiration usually comes during work, not before it.—Madeleine L’Engle

I don’t wait for moods. You accomplish nothing if you do that. Your mind must know it has got to get down to work.—Pearl S. Buck

Why is it hard to finish a book? 

1. Fear it isn’t any good; it won’t sell; people will criticize it

I went for years not finishing anything. Because, of course, when you finish something, you can be judged. I had pieces that were re-written so many times I suspect it was just a way of avoiding sending them out.—Erica Jong

2. Fear it is good; it will sell; and people will wait breathlessly for the next one

The Mother of all Fears is so close to us that even when we verbalize it, we don’t believe it. The Fear That We Will Succeed. That we can access the powers we secretly know we possess.—Steven Pressfield, The War of Art

3. Fear you don’t have the experience/credentials/wisdom needed to finish

Remember, our enemy is not lack of preparation; it’s not the difficulty of the project or the state of the marketplace or the emptiness of our bank account. The enemy is resistance. —Steven Pressfield, Do the Work.

4. You have to do more research and you haven’t found the time for that

Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you.— Carl Sandburg

What happens When We Finish?

• A great sense of satisfaction warms our hearts from accomplishing a personal goal we set for ourselves. This is what we’re supposed to be doing. Changing. Growing. Risking. Learning.

• We develop our craft. Maybe this story or book is not marketable, but the next one will be better. No learning is in vain.

• We get to say it! We finished! We wrote the story, the novel, the memoir. That one thing alone tells the universe we are serious about expressing ourselves, and you know what happens when the universe takes notice.

Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative and creation, there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one commits oneself, then providence moves too. — Goethe

To Invite the Muse

Make space
Make time
Commit to your project
Work on a regular schedule
Learn what you don’t know
Keep going

 Sometimes inspiration comes with a prayer, because you lit a candle, because you begged most earnestly. And sometimes,

You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club. –Jack London

The inner world is endless and infinite.  Pregnant with knowledge, it waits for us to turn our attention around so the birth of new ideas, new songs, and new stories can emerge into our everyday world .

The earliest depiction of the infinity concept comes from Ancient Egypt in the form of the Ouroboros—the image of a serpent or dragon eating its own tail.  A symbol of eternity and renewal, harmony and balance, and cyclical rhythms, the infinity symbol has spoken through the ages to creatives and spiritual seekers.

Infinity is unlimited potential, and when you put it like that, you realize nothing is stopping you from expressing your authentic self.

But how do we do it?  How do we find the right place?  The right time?  

The creative impulse stirs.

We listen. 

We hear the whisper.

We dare new thoughts.

But the impetus fades. Disappointed and a little sad, we notice that the call to create requires more than an impassioned beginning. How do we recapture the feeling that something new is possible?

Ask the Creative Self for guidance, of course. But how?

Demanding that inspiration appear rarely works. That’s how the Greek Muses got their reputation for being flighty and unreliable. The Creative Self must be approached gently. With respect. As you approach that vast reservoir of creative energy, be humble.

The Creative Self operates on a different wavelength. She lives where time is spacious, measured in layers of meaning rather than hours and minutes. As in fairy tales, a day in the inner world might be a year in ours.

With the noise of everyday life, it isn’t easy to hear our authentic voice, which differs in kind from the repetitive mumblings of Practical Self.

You don’t have time for that now, Practical Self states, with smooth assurance.Learning to say no to Practical Self is a muscle that gets stronger with repetition.

Listening for the voice of Creative Self helps you notice how the negative messages of Practical Self reverberate through your mind. Noticing the blocks and letting them go clears the channel.

To deepen your communication with your Creative Self, try this simple exercise.

• Sit quietly in a safe space where you will not be disturbed for ten minutes. If thoughts intrude, let them float by. If negative beliefs come up, say hello to them and bid them goodbye. Notice how your chest expands with each breath. Notice yourself as a conscious mind and a breathing body connected to the earth and sky.
• Imagine all your repetitive thoughts collected in an enormous bubble that floats away at your command.

OR

• Imagine a golden mist covering all the repetitive thoughts like a warm blanket. The thoughts dissolve, leaving an open field of golden light where your Creative Self can play.

Try this before each creative session to deepen the connection to your inner world. Being still and receptive is an invitation. In stillness, Creative Self offers its gifts.

My friend, Gency Brown, recently published her first novel, A Right Fine Life. I attended her book launch party at one of our locally owned bookstores, Books on the Bosque, an excellent store that welcomes author events.

The book is a contemporary saga of a young man who dreams of becoming a country western recording artist and the challenges he encounters as he learns about the tradeoffs required to achieve fame. The research that went into this book made it come alive for me. I learned a lot about the behind-the-scenes world of country music. Gency is active in the country music community, and I asked her how important it was to write about a character breaking into the music business in her first book.

“I wasn’t ticking off an item on my bucket list,” she said. “The character grabbed me and told his story through my memories and imagination. I knew people like him. I wanted to show that not all country music stars are drunks or drug addicts. They’re good people in a hard business.”

When I asked Gency about her biggest challenge in bringing her story to life, she mentioned the editing process, and how valuable her beta readers were, as well as a helpful critique partner. Gency also mentioned that she attends writer’s conferences, always a wonderful source of information and inspiration.

Gency is retired, as are many of my writing students, and I asked her what advice she has for writers starting their books later in life. “Believe in your story and yourself,” Gency declared. “You bring a lifetime of experience to the work but never stop learning.” Good advice for us all.  

Finishing a first novel and having it accepted by a traditional publisher is an enormous accomplishment, and when I asked her what was most rewarding about the process, she smiled and said, “Finishing! I had doubts throughout the writing, but kept going, and now I’m proud of the finished product.”

Given the enthusiastic crowd of well-wishers at the launch party, it was clear that her readers appreciate her efforts. 

You can pick up a copy of A Right Fine Life at Amazon and and, of course, Books on the Bosque.  Gency’s website is www.gencybrown.com and her social media is under gencybrownauthor. Her website blog offers insights into her writing process. Check it out for words of wisdom from a published author!