Be humble and write your way to success

*Note: for clarity and brevity the male pronoun has been used in this post.

Whether you are an aspiring writer or an established one, your writing can only get better by two obvious factors: writing as much as you can and being open to constructive criticism.

A lot of amateur writers make the mistake of not paying heed to feedback from fellow writers and/or mentors. Even when they’ve published some of their work (i.e., short stories, articles, novella, novel, etc.), they still need a support system.

A humble writer is a smart writer; he is more interested in honing his writing skills than tooting his own horn. Leave the ego at the door! Even great writers need an editor and a healthy dose of criticism from his peers.

Carver was known for his realistic portrayals of characters and his minimalist style. Nonetheless, Carver still needed an editor to bring his work to the next level. Remember, editors work hard to improve fiction, and as writers, you don’t want to get reputations of being difficult to work with. Although the story is indeed yours, you still want to put your best work out there. What good is it to write it if it’s not worth publishing it?

Ernest Hemingway also believed that writing in the euphoria of the moment (whether you're drunk or not) is advisable, but editing should be done when the ecstasy of writing has left you. Edit your work after you’ve taken a break from writing. If you can't edit your own work (for whatever the reason: lack of time, inspiration, or skills), ask a colleague to do it for you or hire a professional editor.

In conclusion, a good writer will not only write as often as he can but will also be open to constructive criticism. A good writer invests time in researching, writing, getting feedback, editing, and re-writing the piece (if necessary).

As Indian composer and singer-songwriter, A. R. Rahman said, "Success comes to those who dedicate everything to their passion in life. To be successful, it is also very important to be humble and never let fame or money travel to your head."

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Dear bloggie friends,

I hope 2014 was everything you expected it to be (if it wasn't, then I hope it was a year to learn great life lessons). May 2015 inspire you to continue writing.

Wishing you ALL continued success in your writing career.

Celebrate Life! (including the good, the bad, the obstacles, the success, and everything in between).

Happy 2015!!!

Blind Faith

Show, don’t tell. I can assume all writers know this as Writing 101. Whenever I failed to comply with this rule, my manuscript would come back with red markings. My mentors always told me to use metaphors, similes, or strong verbs/adjectives to describe what we perceive with our five senses without telling the obvious.

My mentors guided me through the learning process: I trusted their advice. But, did that mean I had to forget about my instincts? Through this process, I accepted their suggestions blindly because I was afraid of stumbling along the way. However, all that changed when I started trusting that little voice inside of me: my instincts. One of my mentors had suggested deleting a few sentences and changing some words in my final draft. I didn’t. These sentences spoke loudly; they vibrated in my skin. My instincts were right. My story got published.

Just like writing, in real life we sometimes need guidance. Last Sunday I took my husband to O. Noir, a local Montreal restaurant, to celebrate his birthday. (Click on the hyperlink to learn more about this fabulous experience). O Noir is a play on words in French for au noir, which loosely translates, in the dark. The servers are visually impaired. When you get there, you order your food at the bar before entering the pitch-black room. Once the barmaid has taken your order (she’s not visually impaired by the way), your server guides you to your table. He tells you where your utensils, napkins, plate, and glasses are.  

After an hour, my senses were heightened: I started distinguishing my server’s voice among the cacophony of sounds. My hands were quick to learn the objects around me. My hearing clearly made out what instruments the band was playing (The members of the band are also visually impaired, and are aptly called, Les ombres, The Shadows). Although my server guided me to our table, my other four senses guided me at the table (and I’m happy to share there were no incidents).

I wanted to share this amazing experience and use it as an analogy because I realized that whether we’re guided in our writing journey or not, we ultimately have blind faith in our instincts.

Do you trust your inner voice when you write?

Let the holidays inspire your writing

Most of us agree that finding time to write during the holidays is almost impossible. We’re either traveling or entertaining so writing takes a back seat. So I say to you, why not combine both?

Here are four problems and possible solutions:

1)      No quiet time – Why not give Christmas carols a chance. Use them to your advantage as background music while typing a few lines. Who knows? You may write a poem or a story with a holiday theme.

2)      No energy to write – Treat yourself to something sweet. Why not bake some cookies? Spicy gingerbread man cookies are fun! A little sugar indulgence should energize you to write at least half a page.

3)       Not feeling the holiday spirit – Read Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. If his famous character, Ebenezer Scrooge doesn’t inspire you, perhaps Dickens’s poetic and humorous style will.

4)      Writing has gone out the chimney – Don’t expect Santa to push it back down the same way. Ask a family member or a fellow writer to brainstorm ideas with you. It could help if you have a glass of eggnog, sparkling wine, or sangria while discussing your story. With technology being so accessible nowadays, you could even do it via Skype, webcam, Facebook chat, or the good-old telephone. (Note: Don’t write, drink and drive)

Do the holidays inspire your writing? Are you productive over this festive time? What other solutions would you suggest? 

HAPPY HOLIDAYS BLOGGIE FRIENDS!!!

Divine Guidance or Plain Brilliance?

I believe some people are born with a pen in their grip, you know, those whose writing is as easy as breathing. And, there are some that have to learn the process and hone this craft through extensive practice. I fall into the latter group. When I first started writing, I wanted to be brilliant. Why couldn’t I be like Woolf, Steinbeck, or Hemingway? Thank heavens for my supportive mentors who’ve encouraged me to continue writing even when I felt like quitting. They kept pushing me (and still do so) to improve my newly acquired skill. My childhood friend and my sister are my number one fans, and I’m grateful to them. They believe in me, in my writing, even when I doubt myself.

Lately I’ve experienced something really peculiar: I feel as if someone is whispering in my ear the right words. As I stop to search for a specific word, one that will make an impact in that sentence or paragraph, it pops in my head and travels to my fingers. I don’t know if it’s something visceral, divine, or pragmatic. I’d like to think it’s divine or spiritual. Imagine! Being surrounded by the spirit of the great Masters whispering the right words in your ear.

I wish I had the answer to that, but since I don’t, I’ll just keep honing my skill. In the end what matters is that you love what you do, hence creating brilliant stories.

Has writing come easy to you?