I had the honor of guest blogging today over at Author Christopher Kelly’s blog. Since he was kind enough to get me access to the reclusive serial killer protagonist of his A Shadow over Vegas story, Malcolm Penn, I figured I should reciprocate. What better to write about, than Fear. Fear of Writing. You can find the blog post, on his Author Meanderings Page.
To meet the reclusive Malcolm Penn, see CH’s page… if you dare.
If you missed Malcolm’s interview, you can find it on my blog at Malcolm’s Interview
In the meantime, here’s the copy of the guest blog piece for your enjoyment.
Fear of Writing
Meraki. (V) Greek.
To do something with soul, creativity or love; to put something of yourself into your work.
This is true of many a creative type, but in my opinion, WRITER is another synonym for MERAKI.
A writer puts many hours of themselves into everything they write: blood, sweat, tears, coffee; their hopes, dreams, and fears.
Author Susan Kaye Quinn had these powerful words on the subject
“So much of writing is secretive by nature: an intimate struggle between writer and words; an internal swelling and falling of emotions, both characters alive in our minds and our own turmoil in response.
It’s no wonder that writers hold fast to each other, seeking comrades in arms against which to test our words, and to help gird for the day when those private words become public.
Publishing is an act of courage, and I applaud anyone who does it, no matter the route.”
Fear. Face your fears. Writers face them on a daily basis. Is it good enough? What happens if no one reads it (past your spouse or mom)? Does your fear dissipate if you have the confidence in writing what you wanted?
It doesn’t matter if your genre is romance, children’s or books with a serial killer protagonist (Malcolm Penn, anyone?) What matters is that you write. Every day. Good or bad put words on a page. Napkin. Matchbooks (do they even have those anymore?) Computer screen. Tablet. Laptop. WRITE. What you love. WRITE. Through your fears.
Then… Put it away. For a week. For a month. Let it marinate. Take it out again. Face your fears. Meraki.
Hand it to a neutral third party. All writing needs a second pair of eyes. An editor you trust. What’s that Malcolm? Trust no one?
Write without fear. Edit without mercy.
Until next time,
Dara Rochlin- Book Doctor
Susan Kaye Quinn, speculative fiction author, is the author of the bestselling young adult SF Mindjack Trilogy. The Dharian Affairs trilogy is her excuse to dress up in corsets and fight with swords. She also has a dark-and-gritty SF serial for ages 17+ called The Debt Collector and a middle grade fantasy called Faery Swap. She can be found at: http://www.susankayequinn.com or on Twitter at https://twitter.com/susankayequinn
Dara Rochlin Book Doctor, {Editor. Proofreader. Wordsmith.} wields her red pen and can be found at http://www.dararochlinbookdoctor.com, on twitter at @bookdoctordara or via email at DaraR68@gmail.com . But you knew this already since you are here!
Oh, and while we are talking about FEAR… be sure to check out the anthology I edited with 22 authors. SHADES OF FEAR- a charity anthology. You won’t want to miss their fears. Stories are fears you tell yourself. You never know what might haunt you, or help you. All proceeds go to benefit pediatric cancer research and patient care. A worthy cause. Kindle version out now, paperback out soon! I promise. Buy the KINDLE VERSION
