The Ultimate Writing Challenge.

January 8, 2017January 8, 2017 confidentwriter4 Comments

Always we begin again

– St Benedict

I received a rejection in my email yesterday. It was particularly difficult because a few days before Christmas I had a telephone conversation with the editor of the press where she told me how much she wanted to see my book in the world. We talked briefly about the terms, and left it with her needing to sort through their upcoming publications to see if there was a place for my book.

It felt promising.

Though in reality our conversation came about after I received an email from her with news that I wasn’t selected for the first book award contest where I was one of five finalist. People say it’s an honor to be a finalist, but the reality is losing sucks. I was only partially comforted by the editor’s request that I call her to talk about her interest in publishing my book.

It seemed as if I was really close to a book deal.

Then came the rejection. The email was kind and personal, but a no nonetheless.

After a few tears and a little wandering around Target, I was faced with the question of where to send it next. Though to be honest, there was a part of me that wanted to say the hell with it. I toyed with the idea of giving up the whole writing thing. I questioned the sanity of subjecting myself to continued rejection. But after a prep-talk from my husband, sometime in prayer and a glass or two of wine, I realized the more important question is how do I sure myself up so that a rejection doesn’t feel so devastating?

Rejection is a very real part of the writing life. We all know that, but it doesn’t take away the sting. It’s as if the editor’s no confirms our greatest fear that we aren’t good enough. We wonder if perhaps our parents were right to suggest we pursue something with a future – and a salary. But the truth is we didn’t choose writing. It chose us. We write because we have to.

Truth is I feel better about life in general when I’m writing. Writing clears my head. It clarifies and expands my thinking. It opens my eyes to the things below the surface of what is said or done. It helps me understand myself and the world around. It’s my lifeline.

No rejection can take that away.

So I begin again. I will look for new places to send my book and continue to write.

Prior to receiving the rejection email, signed up for a 52 week writing challenge. I loved the idea of writing one essay a week and posting it. It seemed to be the perfect writing goal for the year. It would give me the opportunity to develop my ideas and actually write the reflections and commentaries that float around my head. It would also be a way to produce more work while actively working on my craft.

However, after processing this last rejection it seems my ultimate writing goal for this year is to continue to write and submit, taking each rejection in stride, knowing that always we begin again.

December Writing Challenge

December 1, 2015December 1, 2015 confidentwriter1 Comment

Confession –– I shopped on Black Friday.

The frenzy and crowds kick off the Christmas shopping season for me. It all started years ago when my husband and I began taking our kids to see the holiday windows displays on State Street in Chicago. The lights and animated puppets never failed to put us in a festive mood.

While there are no windows displays in Atlanta, the people watching never disappoints. I always come away from our Black Friday shopping amused though often empty-handed.

It’s a horrible day to actually shop.

That said, I did manage to buy something this year –– a pen. I probably paid more than I should have, but I couldn’t resist. As I walked through the mall with my new purchase, I promised myself I would write everyday in the month of December. It wasn’t until I got home that I started to feel more than a little guilty. Did I really just spend that much on a pen? I contemplated taking it back, especially in light of my lower than average percentage of follow through with writing promises.

Then I wrote with it.

The way the ink flowed on the paper was almost magical. It made me want to start a new project. I suddenly wanted my writing life back.

The past year has taken its toll on my writing life. Mostly I dabble. And though I write in my journal regularly, I haven’t been able to finish anything other than my editor letters for Minerva Rising. It would be easy to blame the change in my writing life on grieving or life in general, but the reality is I haven’t said yes to writing. I have allowed other things to take over. While I don’t have much control over the grieving process, there are some things that don’t require as much attention and time as I give them. I spend a lot of time doing things that don’t add value to my life. And many of those things actually deplete my energy.

Facebook comes to mind.

Though I don’t post very often, I’m on everyday. I have watched more mindless videos and read more pointless articles than I care to admit. Rarely do I come away from the activity feeling better about myself or having moved any closer to my goals. And yet I say yes to spending my time that way everyday. That’s time I could spend writing. Why don’t I?

Writing is a lot like exercise. Not only is it good for me, I always feel better after I do it. But much like exercise, I procrastinate and create 99 excuses. I have good intentions, but allow my momentary comfort to circumvent my long term goals. It’s only after my body starts to ache or I can’t button my jeans that exercise becomes critical. My discomfort moves me to action.

The same holds true for writing. The decision not to say yes to my writing time creates negative energy. I find myself feeling guilty about all the things I should be doing, especially when someone ask about my book. The stress of unfinished projects blocks new ideas. thoughts, anxieties and doubts swirl around my head with no place to go. And when my head feels as if it’s going to explode I know I need to start writing again. I need it as much as I need exercise. It feeds my soul. Clears my head. It opens my eyes and heart to the world around me. And most importantly I spend less time obsessing over minutia –– which is another thing I spend way too much time doing.

All of this came to me while I was journaling with my new pen. I even had an idea for a writing challenge. What if I blogged every day for the month of December? It would definitely get me back on track with my writing life. It would stretch me and take me out of my comfort zone. Then I immediately came up with a ton of reasons (excuses) why now wasn’t the right time to start a writing challenge. It’s December. What about the preparation for the holiday party I’m hosting? And Christmas shopping for my family?

When would I possibly have time to write?

But what better time to challenge yourself than when you know that you are going to be busy. And lets face it, the rush of the holidays has never stopped me from watching television or scrolling through Facebook. Why should it stop me from writing?

So there it is. I’m announcing it to the world. I am writing a new blog every day for the month of December. Here are the ground rules.

Each blog will be at least five hundred words
It will be posted everyday by 8:00 p.m.
There will be no interaction on any social media –– Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, etc until it’s done

I’ll admit I’m nervous. But the more you write, the better you write. So it begins. . .

If you would like to join me in the challenge to write more this December, email me here. We can encourage one another as we take our writing to another level.

Goal Setting · Quotes

Planning Your Work, Working Your Plan

September 5, 2012 confidentwriterLeave a comment

Summer is officially over. It’s time to buckle down. But it may be hard to get back into a routine if your productivity dropped off significantly during the last few months. All the things you meant to do but didn’t get to may be spinning around in your head. That’s why you need a PLAN to help you focus on exactly what you want to get accomplished.

If you think about it, that’s just what schools do when they use a syllabus or a study plan. They outline the subject so that the objectives of the class are broken up into bite-size task. That way the students know what has to be done and can plan their time.

Now in the spirit of full disclosure, I have to confess I cringe at the thought of writing a syllabus. I used to put off writing them until the last possible moment and would end up scrambling before my first class to get it together. However, the activity of drafting a syllabus always helped me to think through the structure of the course. I’d build on what worked in the past and improve what didn’t. I’d also think about timing and workflow.

I had a similar experience with writing study plans. When I was a M.F.A. student, we had to write a new study plan at the beginning of each semester. Back then I thought they were a pain in the ass, but in retrospect they helped me to break up the work into manageable pieces. I knew just how much I needed to complete in a given week. And at the end of the semester, I could see tangible evidence of my progress.

So here’s how to develop your PLAN:

Look back at your previous list of goals and write a few sentences listing your accomplishments since January. When we can acknowledge our successes, we’re more motivated to work on new goals.
List five things you’d like to accomplish before the end of the year. Write a positive action-oriented sentence for each item. Example: I will write three new short stories.
Ask yourself, what tasks have to be completed each month to move you closer to your goal. Write a monthly task list. Make sure each item is measurable. Example: Read one novel. Send out 10 resumes.
Pick one day at the end of the month to check your progress. If you’ve completed your task for the month, give yourself a day or two to relax. It will motivate you to keep working your PLAN.
Create a reward list for the successful completion of your PLAN.

Remember —

If you fail to plan, then you plan to fail.

Harvey MacKay