Writing is a strange alchemy.
This pulling something out of your head to a seeing world is still mystical. Still a wonder. Never be so cocky to think writing is “easy.”
There are some who wish the gift would come back—only to be greeted with barren imaginations…and tears.
Humility is some times the best coin of the realm.
With Love & Ink,
JBHarris
Be gentle with yourself today.
The work in progress is called this for a reason. The progress in this work can be incremental—but do it. No matter how small or insignificant.
Do the work.
Happy, loud or sad, but do it.
With Love & Ink,
JBHarris
Be passionate about your work.
Love all parts of it.
Embrace the journey. All of it.
You have been entrusted with the intangible to make tangible.
Wield that power wisely.
With Love & Ink,
JBHarris
Discouragement. Doubt. Self-rejecting.
These are the dragons writers must continually slay. It is not sufficient to leash them, they must be slain. At their deaths, you fuel your pen.
Do not reason with discouragement.
Do not listen to doubt.
Do not think so little of your imagination that you will not entertain or humor it.
Slay the dragons.
And dispatch them without mercy.
With Love & Ink,
JBHarris
As this year speeds to a close, I leave you with one thing: belief in self.
The path is of the arts is fraught with doubts. Filled with second-guessing and the evil, diabolical non support of the people who say they love you.
But, what I want to tell you with 7 calendar days left of this year is stop listening to that does not serve, assist, value or help.
Stop feeding that which hurts.
This is so often the most difficult thing! That type of thinking hobbles, cripples and will kill anything creative—or different in you! I have had to discover this in my own self this week. My creative achievements are not based on the opinions of other people. My success is not determined by what other people think about it. There will always be a salty-select to remind you of failures, setbacks and other useless shenanigans.
Stop feeding what hurts.
Make the decision to give up the things which weigh you down–and soar.
You have world to conquer.
Being a writer means you will/may always have questions. The toughest ones to answer always involve The Why.
Why do you write?
Why aren’t you writing?
Why are you afraid to write?
Regardless of genre, or length of project, you will have to answer these questions.
Sometimes once during the course of a work, sometimes repeatedly in the course of a day!
But they must be answered.
Moreover, they must be answered by you.
With Love & Ink,
JBHarris
The end of the month—end of the year!—is in a matter of weeks.
To that observation, I leave you with this question:
What if you believed you could do it?
I mean it, what would happen you believed you could write the work you set out to create—independent of other people’s opinions or support?
Only you can answer this. And should do so immediately.
With Love & Ink,
JBHarris
