What you’re saying there about being a vessel reminds me of an email I received from a new reader:

I stumbled upon your blog, while seeking something else. I believe that something else were your words all along. What a gift to give someone who cannot find the words themselves for the pressing thoughts that are mere ghosts, until they escape to what makes sense.

I know that my writing may not be the best, but I keep trying because I love it.

Back in 1998 I started writing a story that literally had me crying as I was typing it. “Jessica’s Hands” is an unfinished work and even though I haven’t looked at it for almost ten years I can still remember nearly everything about it. However, it was so intense that I set it aside and in losing that steam I could never bring myself to pick it up again.

I’m glad to hear that you were able to get back to your work! If you need another writer friend to share it with, just drop me a line!

As for the fear of putting it out there, this post resonates so powerfully it almost shook me off my chair. Nearly a year ago, I was working on my second unfinished first novel (does that make sense?) and a blogger (published novelist) proposed a great idea for kick starting creativity. Tim Hallinan (who also has an excellent Writer’s Resources section on his site) proposed The Dickens Challenge. The idea was for a group of people to dash off a chapter a week and post it, in order to banish the inner editor and see where we could go. I never imagined participating (moi?), but as the start date got closer, I couldn’t stop thinking about the germ of a story that had popped into my head. I went for it and so did close to a dozen others. It was fun and our regular blog readers, knowing these were first drafts cheered us on. It cured me of my paralysis, borne of perfectionism. And then — a reader/lurker posted about the folly of posting unfinished work. Most of the reasons she cited were things I couldn’t have cared less about (what if an agent reads your blog and sees this amateurish work? Huh? I was so far from thinking about whether I’d even end up with something I’d consider trying to publish that it made me laugh, and — Puh-leeze — as if literary agents have nothing better to do), but it shook my confidence and it made me feel self-conscious and embarrassed. I took all those posts down. Sadly, I lost the momentum I had going on the story for at least three months. Thankfully, I got it back and I’m nearly finished with a start to finish rough first draft and I do have a writer friend I can share new work with and that helps.

I wanted to agree with your point and applaud you posting your chapter. I wish I had not allowed one snarky person to pummel my confidence and ruin what had been a productive and enjoyable experience for me. Write on!

Lisa Kenney’s last blog post..Raw Clay and Alternate Endings

@WriterDad Thanks, Sean!! I’m loving your mini-series on “The Quan”! Your sister’s final quote is pure gold:

This was probably the only time not involving action figures that I was allowed in your room without being beat up.

@xeoncat And thanks for saying so!

Writer Dad’s last blog post..The Quan