Build Up, Not Pull Down

"Don't expect to build up the weak by pulling down the strong."

There are lots of ways to build people up and encourage them. Some of them are wrong while others are more kosher.
By pulling others down in the pits, whether they be strong or weak, it does the opposite of any good-intention goal.
I will forever stress how important writting communities are. Most likely you will hear from other writers as well. These wonderful people are there to lift you up when you're feeling down in the pits. They have been there, right where you are now, and they are specifically there to build you up in your writing journey through all the right morally based reasons. Sure it maybe awkward at first, but think of it as a cult or a super cool club in school you were never invited to join. The main point is we are all joined but a mutual common interest and we can only build each other up by joining together and rising together.

When Nothing is Sure

Whoa! Am I slacking it what?! (You don't have to answer that.)

Henceforth, I promise to update my blog shenanigans more often. So we'll start with something uplifting & a subject which has come to light recently.

"When nothing is sure, everything is possible."

Ironically, nothing in the publishing world is a 'sure thing'. But that leaves room for the utmost ridiculous possibility. No really. Think about this. Let is sink in, as it did with me. I'll share a little bit of my situation with you. My MS has gone major revisions & near completion and I've always wanted to compete in one of those writing blog contests. (No worries, my MS will be finished and polished before I submit to any.) Now a few months ago I woulda fainted with the idea of submitting my work to ANY contest. But now...I feel differently. More like why not? Instead of Why on earth would I do that?!
Maybe it was the first round of rejected (and righly so) query letters. Maybe it is because I'm more confident in my writing. Maybe its the deeper research I've been doing on how hard this whole publishing road is. Maybe its because I've stopped sitting on the fence and decided I want this. I want this and shall work hard to achieve it. This is the commitment I've made all because the possibilities far out weigh the unsure.

The Roots

"Ideas are the roots of creation."

We (speaking collectively for writers) know this best. Anything could spark an idea, from dreams to a shape of a cloud. Ideas are how all of our wonderful, tear soaked adventures begin. Ideas are curious creatures. They find a way into your head. Once there they will nest and fester. They roam about every once in a while to remind you of their presence. All the while you never turning a blind eye to them. Wiggling about, these little sausages will demand attention & room to grow. My best advice to you is to write these curious ideas down before they make a nuisance of all your current tasks.

Eyes On The Stars

"Keep your eyes on the stars and your feet on the ground"

This a good quote for all aspiring writers to have. Never let loose your dreams of becoming a published author. But become a published author wisely. Do your homework on which agent you want and even if they accept your genre. Your dream agent might have taken your romance novel in the past but decide they want mystery thrillers presently. Just when you think you're finished...edit & rewrite. Repeat this over and over. Get sick of reading your novel and take a break from it for a month. Then take it in with fresh eyes. Writing is all about doing the extra leg work to get your novel as polished as possible in order snatch an agent with query letter (which is an entirely different process.)

Not How Hard

I'm back!
What a crazy ride we call life. I won't get into the details which have kept me from blogging, because the important part is I'm getting back on track. So without further ado...

"It's not about how hard you fall but how fast you get back up."

I'll let you in on one of my writing struggles. I've been neglecting my first novel. Yes you read that right. Neglecting. You may ask how is that possible? When the answer is quite simple. I do everything before writing, e.g. dusting, dishes, laundry, playing candy crush whatever it takes to keep me from writing. Why is your next question. To which my answer is I have fallen. I've been discouraged from writing my novel. Having to revise my novel was literally the worst task for me. I drug my feet and internally groaned about revising my entire novel. Writing is hard enough but having to basically re-write my entire novel...was excruciating. But then something changed. I picked myself back up and my novel. It took me longer to get back up than I would have liked but that's just how life goes. It's not about the downward spiral out of control, its about taking those first steps away from where you've fallen.
And wouldn't you know it, my novel is slim, tight writing & stronger than ever. I'm not focusing on the 59,633 words I have. I'm focusing on that fact I have less than 40k left & a pretty kick ass story to finish.

One Thing Every Day

"Do one thing every day that scares you"

Whether it's killing that HUGE black spider in the bathroom when your husband isn't there to kill it for you or taking on a big project at work; conquer something that scares you.
What do you have to lose? The answer is nothing.
What do you have to gain? Confidence. Self-esteem. A big ego. So the latter of the those three might not be good.
Maybe you'll enjoy yourself by completing challenges and pushing yourself.
Think of it as a mental workout. If you start conquering the things that scare you, both great and small, eventually you'll be fearless.

What fears have you conquered lately?

Where Wisdom Lies

"True wisdom lies in gathering the precious things out of each day as it goes by"

Oh the places I can take this quote!
Each and every day presents opportunities to learn something new or to better oneself. Recognizing and taking these opportunities is what makes us wise. It's hard to tell what these opportunities may be as it varies with each person & situation. Don't pass up any opportunity to do good. Your good causes a chain reaction in the world and changes lives literally!
Another thing about this quote, take it day by day. Don't fret about the opportunities you missed in the past; learn from them. Focusing on tomorrow's opportunities will distract you from what opportunities lie in front of you.