Where to Begin
Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase.
~Martin Luther King Jr.
First and foremost, WELCOME to my new site I've developed to help anyone and everyone who wants to add 'writer' to their list of hobbies (or jobs!).
Here are a list of questions I get almost on a daily basis...
How did you get into writing?
Where do you find the time?
Where do your ideas come from?
On and on... so many questions. And while I don't claim to have all the answers, I do have some ideas I'd like to share with you if writing might be your thing. I wanted to create a place where everyone is welcome, and you walk away feeling inspired to try something new.
No one starts out writing their perfect novel on day one. It's writing exercises, blogging, and reading until your eyes are blurry. Some of you already have that going for you. The best thing you can do for your writing is read as much as possible. Not just your favorite genre, but anything that interest you. A N Y T H I N G.
The only rule I have for your adventure is this: Be true to yourself.
Your writing doesn't have to be for anyone, or you might want it to be for everyone. The only person you have to answer to is your self. Figure out why you want to do this, and once that is done, go for it. The WHY is going to be different for all of us, and it will most likely change over the years. I always knew I wanted to be a writer but never really knew why until I started blogging and found helping others feel better about themselves made me incredibly happy.
Even when I only had a couple readers.
That didn't matter to me, and honestly still doesn't. What matters most is the impact I have on people, and if I'm improving the quality of their lives. If I'm bringing them some hope or joy in any way, then I'm happy.
That why has never changed.
My other why - the one that has developed through publishing - is simply to challenge myself. I have always pushed myself to think outside the box (not easy for an introvert) and try to make any goal attainable. Writing a book to me was never a HUGE deal, because I approached it as how can I do that? Obviously, the short answer is word by word, but even more than that, I broke down the process and started with a couple characters and a conflict.
I adored writing my first book so much, even knowing it would never see the light of day. Seeing all of it come together was better than anything I could've hoped for and made me even more excited about creating characters to love.
So using some #MondayMotivation, I am going to start posting for those of you interested in making writing a part of your life. No need to create any goals yet... just start thinking about it. Every week, I will leave you with some "homework" that will guide you along the way. More than anything, I hope every post will leave you with a feeling of inspiration to create something. Art is art, no matter what form it takes.
Homework: What is your why?
Make a list of books you love - your top 10 books of all time. What do they have in common? Same genre? Fast paced or slow and lyrical? No wrong answers here. Somewhere in your answers is your why. Journal or think about it. Give some thought as to why you're drawn to the books you love above all others. You don't have to share your list with anyone - unless you want to! Again, this workshop is strictly for YOU, and you make the rules.
If you ever have any questions, please comment below on any post. Happy to answer anything you might want to bring up.
Have a fabulous week, and Happy MLK Day.