“Write it. Just write it. Write it on receipts in the car while you wait for your kid to finish their piano lessons, scribble on napkins at lunch with friends. Type on crappy typewriters or borrow computers if you have to. Fill notebooks with ink. Write inside your head while you’re in traffic and when you’re sitting in the doctor’s office. Write the truth, write lies. Write the perfect spouse. Write your dreams. Write your nightmares. Write while you cry about what you’re writing, write while you laugh out loud at your own words. Write until your fingers hurt, then keep writing more. Don’t ever stop writing. Don’t ever give up on your story, no matter what “they” say. Don’t ever let anybody take away your voice. You have something to say, your soul has a story to tell. Write it. There is never any reason to be afraid. Just write it and then put it out there for the world. Shove it up a flag pole and see who salutes it. Somebody will say it’s crap. So what? Somebody else will love it. And that’s what writing’s about. Love. Love of the art, love of the story, and love for and from the people who really understand your work. Nobody else matters. Love yourself. Love your work. Be brave. Just write.”
― Melodie Ramone
So, I know this is a really long quote to start off a blog entry with, but take a second to read it. If you are anywhere near the same spot in your writing journey as me, you will find encouragement. I don’t even know who Melodie Ramone is, but she has some serious words of wisdom.
Where am I in my writing journey? Well, I’ve written a novel and I’m currently working on the first draft of the sequel. I have about 20 queries to agents floating around in cyber space. I have a Twitter, a Facebook, a website, some nifty business cards, and this blog. And I have no freaking idea what I’m doing. I don’t know what to tweet, or post, or blog about. I have no one to give the nifty business cards to, except my family, and they already know that I’m writing. It’s what I do instead of cleaning the house or cooking (in a spirit of complete disclosure, I never really did much of that anyway). The whole world of agents and publishing just seems like a giant, black hole that is trying to suck out my soul. Ok, maybe that’s a wee bit melodramatic, but I’m sure you get what I’m trying to say.
I really, really, really want to get published. To be honest, I can see my book as a movie. I’ve even cast that movie. Future director—you’re welcome. And yes, I will consider a cameo. But, and here’s the million-dollar question, what if I never get published? Will I still keep writing? After some serious soul-searching, I have to say yes. I have discovered that I have stories to tell. I have discovered that writing makes me happy. So, I’m going to take Melodie’s advice: Be brave. Just write. I hope you will, too.
Amy Reece 