We all need a cheer squad.
We all need people to say 'Good on you!'; 'Way to go!'; 'You've done a great job'; 'You're really on the way.'
We need people to say 'Don't worry, this is just a temporary setback'; or 'Of course you can do it' when we encounter obstacles. (Hey, you think nothing of putting plenty of hurdles in your character's way-why should you get through unscathed?)
Writers tend to get depressed and give up when nobody appears to care whether they write or whether they don't. Sure, it's really up to us if we feel that urge to create-in one way, we shouldn't have to rely on the support or approval of others. But let's get real. Most of us do care. We feel so much more inspired to go on if there's someone who believes in us; someone to urge us to take the next step.
Most of us are lucky in that we have supportive families or partners. They might groan at the idea of extra responsibilities - or seeing less of us because we're hiding away tapping at a keyboard - but they know how much it means to us. They rejoice in our successes. They commiserate when a rejection arrives or when life gets in the way and we can't write for weeks (or months). It makes a difference to have someone who's in your corner.
Unfortunately, not everyone has a 'cheer squad' like this. What if your family couldn't care less if you never wrote another word? What if they resent the time you spend writing, and create obstacles rather than help you overcome them?
First, you have to decide to claim that time for yourself-even if you have to leave the house to do it. Find a corner where you can write undisturbed. (More than one writer has penned a novel over long-lasting cups of coffee in a restaurant.)
But the most important thing is to get yourself that cheer squad.
Find someone who does care about you and your writing.
Someone who will buoy you up when times are bad.
Someone who will break open the champagne when you succeed.
It could be a friend... it could be the owner of the coffee lounge... it could be someone from a writer's group you join or establish. There's someone out there who cares.
Make it your mission to find that person.
(c) Copyright Marg McAlister
Marg McAlister has published magazine articles, short stories, books for children, ezines, promotional material, sales letters and web content. She has written 5 distance education courses on writing, and her online help for writers is popular all over the world. Sign up for her regular writers' tipsheet at http://www.writing4success.com/
limo Chicago Addison ..Many experts recommend reading as a way to get ideas,... Read More
If you have an online home based business you know... Read More
"I don't know if I should put 'writer' on my... Read More
Summer's here and the time is write for dancing in... Read More
ACCEPT, EXCEPT Not commonly seen even from unpublished writers, who... Read More
What is Sense of Place? It's the image of a... Read More
If Ben Franklin were alive today, he would be...uh, very... Read More
Have you ever read someone else's writing and thought one... Read More
The short-short story has been likened by some as being... Read More
Virgil, the great Roman poet, wrote "Practice and thought might... Read More
Have you ever had a student write to tell you... Read More
Just about every marketer on the Internet claims to be... Read More
~~~Old age, to the unlearned, is winter; to the learned,... Read More
What is a prologue? When should you use one? Should... Read More
I have added a new word to my vocabulary. Logorrhea.... Read More
Sometimes I can be dense when it comes to realizing... Read More
I've seen it time and again. One of the most... Read More
1. SECRETS TO SUCCESS2. MAKING A POWERFUL FIRST IMPRESSION3. AVOID... Read More
Dream that your book can be a number one best... Read More
Written communication is often the first impression you make on... Read More
First, let's tackle the question that is uppermost in many... Read More
Think you can't write a book that will sell? You... Read More
Finding the time to write a novel is one of... Read More
Recently, I was hunting for a book that would simply... Read More
Nike's ad has taken on new meaning for me of... Read More
Benton transportation to O'Hare ..No user manual? Surely you jest!It may seem comical, but... Read More
For several years before I left teaching to write full... Read More
SO YOU WANT TO BE A WRITER?Many people have entertained... Read More
If you dread the thought of writing, if you fear... Read More
Clustering, also called Mind Mapping, is a great way to... Read More
A QUERY LETTER is written to an editor or agent... Read More
1. What Is A Premise?A premise is the point you... Read More
Do you consider yourself a storyteller? Do you consider yourself... Read More
Sometimes I can be dense when it comes to realizing... Read More
I asked several writers how long it took them to... Read More
Working on my first humorous novel, I started with a... Read More
If you haven't realized the success you wanted last year,... Read More
Creating written documents reveals so much about you and your... Read More
Back in my school days, if the teacher demanded a... Read More
In the beginning of your story you have to grab... Read More
ISBN stands for International Standard Book Number. It is a... Read More
Have you ever read someone else's writing and thought one... Read More
Using a ghostwriter to craft your free reprint articles and... Read More
The purpose of this article is to consider Print-On-Demand publishing... Read More
If you become a writer for any publication, private business,... Read More
11 Secrets from an Experienced InterviewerOne of the unwritten rules... Read More
ACCEPT, EXCEPT Not commonly seen even from unpublished writers, who... Read More
Everyone has a book inside them, or so the saying... Read More
Eight or nine times out of ten, picking up and... Read More
The creativity of Jaisini is not designed to be preaching... Read More
Writing |