Turning a Stall into a Start by Barbara McDowell

Raise your hand if you started 2012 off with the gusto of taking your writing focus up a notch.  Making promises to write every day, defining word count goals, or outlining plans to edit a big project.  Now, with the reality of life setting in months later, are you still running with that same fire in your fingertips?

Writers write.  This is a mantra we hear when attending writers’ workshops, conferences, and author readings.  We are further reminded when digging into craft books and the blogs of fellow writers.  It is our gospel for in the beginning and middle and end, writers write.  While bursts of divine inspiration are great, it is the steady practice and time put in that leads to regular streams of creativity.  We make time for our writing in the regular balance of life.

But writers also have day gigs that can flare up beyond a standard forty hour week and melt into personal life.  We might spend extended time out and about speaking at conferences or handling other networking tasks.  We have families made up of other carbon-based beings that will not be ignored.  We are caregivers.  We find ourselves downed by an opportunistic flu looking for another host master or even more serious conditions that require medicines, surgery, or extended rest.  We take much needed breaks and go on vacation.  We must handle book launches and the other business of writing.

When these life moments happen, goals can be missed and writing time savaged.  We might have to temporarily step away from writing at all.  We stall.

“We are the creative force of our life, and through our own decisions rather than our conditions, if we carefully learn to do certain things, we can accomplish those goals.” ~ Stephen Covey

The beauty of ROW80 is that it is a real world writing challenge.  We set goals based on what our next step needs are with our writing projects and what is going on in our lives.  When life happens, there is a circle of writers there to cheer us back to our feet or kick us back into gear.  There is no shame and no judging yourself against others.  The goals are about your journey—where you are right now and where you need to go.

It is said that it takes twenty-one days to make something a habit.  With each ROW round, we get eighty.  During Round One, I found myself distracted by extended birthday celebrating, day gig interruptions, falling ill, and then being stranded by a computer virus wiping out my laptop.  At times, my goals progress slowed or was put on hold.  I found inspiration in reflecting on how a cat would ROW80.  I determined that “they commit to daily habits, by instinct scurry away or swing (claws out) when spooked and stop and do what they need to do in the moment… dedication, determination and self-care.”

What do we do when our progress stalls?  Just keep moving forward.  Forward means progress.  We can sit for a moment and reflect on what might not have been met, and then we move forward.  We reorganize our time and move forward.  We tweak or toss some goals and move forward.  We put that next word onto paper and begin again.

Have you had an unexpected life hiccup?  Have you put some goals on hold or retooled?  What are some of your methods for writer self-care?

~*~

Barbara McDowell

It’s All About Heart by Jayrod Garrett

When I sat down and I thought about what would be of most value to all the ROWers out there I had to rack my head pretty hard.  There were so many things I could think of that would be good to share with you, and then I realized that the lesson of most value to you would be the one has sustained me throughout most of the past twelve years: It’s all about Heart.

 

I learned about Heart during basic training on my first run.  I was pretty slow and I couldn’t keep up with everyone and I stopped running.  So I turned around and walked back to where we started, where one of my instructors, Drill Sergeant Beller, was rounding all of us weaklings up and disciplining us with more exercise.  Beller said to all of us that we didn’t have Heart.  He told us if we had Heart we would have been able to push through the pain and keep running.

 

It was when he said that to me that I determined that I would do everything to develop and have heart.  I worked hard during the rest of basic training.  At any point during a run my legs felt like stopping, I might slow down, but I learned to never stop running.  Later I volunteered to be one of the road guards for our company.  It meant I might end up running at least another half mile in comparison to everyone else around me.  And by the end of training (with the help of a pair of guardian angels) I managed to pass my Physical Fitness Test so I could graduate basic training.  It was really hard, but I learned as I went through the experience what it meant to have Heart.

 

Now all of us are going through this round together and I think it is crucial you understand this: Writing, in the end, is all about Heart.  Do you know everything that you need to put into your story at the beginning?  Is your outline perfect?  Are you making perfect progress with all of your goals?  Are you angry because you think you should be accomplishing more?  Have you broken the 10,000 words in a day barrier?  If the answer to any of those is no, then you need Heart.  And for those of you who have mastered all of these things, you need Heart just as much as those beginning the journey.

 

After basic training I eventually left for AIT, while there I had new challenges to overcome, but because I had Heart things went a lot better for me than in basic training.  I helped no less than ten people to pass their Physical Training Tests when I wasn’t passing mine.  I shouted louder than everyone else during our running cadences earning me the title of: The King of Motivation.  And after I passed my Physical Fitness test again I found myself in the best shape of my life.   Heart took me beyond my own abilities and into a world of possibilities.

 

It is the same for us as writers.  Each one of us has our own abilities and we are striving for our best.  But there are days that it calls for more from us, days that stretch our patience, days that there is nothing left.  And those are the days that we have to sit down emotionally exhausted and put something down on the page and believe in our self and our dream.  Those are the days that Heart is crucial.  As long as it is beating for the written word, nothing can stop us.

 

Of course you might say to me, but I didn’t make my goals this week, or I forgot something really important I was supposed to do, or I’m just not strong enough to do it right now.  That’s okay.  We are in this together.  Heart isn’t developed all at once.  It is developed over time.  It might only take you nine weeks to develop the kind of heart to run four miles.  But we are writing stories folks.  That is the kind of heart that can take lifetimes to develop and perfect.  You’ll never see your writing as perfect, but you can see it as better.  With each writing principle you learn more about your craft and how you can better approach your limited time in which you have to write.

 

Right now I’m learning about Heart once again.  And as I said, this kind of heart is different from what I needed to run.  I have to be willing to put myself out there for people to read my imperfect work.  I have to be willing to write during a lot of my free time.  I have to be committed to telling my friends who want to do fun things with me that I can’t hang out, because I’m writing.  I have to do the work to go to conferences, learn new skills, and study literature so that I can understand more about writing.  My education process never ends.  And it never will, because it is all about a Writers Heart.

 

So as you are going through this round keep in mind, you are on a great journey.  You won’t always be able to keep up with everyone and that’s okay.  You are working on it.  You’re making progress and you are making hard decisions.  You are developing your Heart.  And that’s a beautiful thing.  Don’t give up, don’t give in.  You can do this.  Why you ask?

 

Because you my friend have Heart.  Now use that and go write something amazing today!

 ~*~

Jayrod Garrett

The Solitary Writer by Eden Mabee

With apologies to Kristen Lamb, I have some bad news for you.  You are alone.

Like all of us here in ROW80, you chose to become a writer.  Now you must live up to that decision.  You have to accept that no one else can go on this journey in your place.  No one else can take your risks for you.  You have to put yourself out there.  You have to put your words and your thoughts out for the world to see.

You have to write.

I’m sorry to be so blunt about it, but now that you’ve chosen to be a writer, you have to settle down and you have to write.  Some call this “Bottom in Chair, Fingers on Keyboard”, and you should wake up every morning with this as your mantra.  You want to write (you must, you’ve chosen to join a writing challenge), so it makes sense that you should write.

But what about my fellow ROWers, you ask?  Well, if you want to know a dirty little secret, they’re in the same boat as you.  As wonderful and supportive as your fellow ROWers will be, they can’t do this for you.  We cannot do this for you.  We cannot write your words.  We can write our own, but not yours.  You have to do that.

We’ll cheer you on.  We’ll offer our shoulders when things get difficult.  But we can’t give life to your words.  We can do a lot of things for you: share ideas for stories, do beta readings, recommend agents and publisher and pass along the latest market news.  We can even perhaps meet you when you come to town and laugh over cakes and coffees. We can do so much for you.

But we can’t put those words into a permanent form.  We can’t given a concrete image to your thoughts.

We cannot write for you.

But the good news is, you can!  You can write those ideas, the way you puzzled over the waiter’s expression when you ordered the red snapper, the way the sky turned a brilliant crimson and slate-gray this evening so intense you knew a storm was coming in your main character’s world.  You can do it, one word at a time.

And you know what else?

You are not alone.  We’re here.  We’re doing it with you.  Each of us, putting down our words one at a time, one after another after another after…

We’re all solitary writers… in this together.  And we are not alone.

~*~

Eden Mabee

Why I Love Being A Writer by Gene Lempp

Writing, for me, and I know for many of you, is an unparalleled experience. It’s in our blood, haunts our thoughts both waking and dreaming, is a soul-deep drive. And it should be – it is passion that both inspires our work and empowers it.

Here are a few of the things I love about being a writer – I hope they will ignite your passions as well.

I love finding out new things about people. When a character comes out of the blue and says, “Hey Gene, let’s talk. You see, I’m really like this. I’d never wear a turtleneck. Stop making me eat peanut butter, it makes me gassy. Etc.” Getting to sit back and have quality time with my subconscious manifestations brings the writing to life. Sure, the character doesn’t Actually exist – but for writers they do and in deeper ways then the people we know in real life because characters can’t hide their truths from us if we take the time to seek them. How often are you able to see beyond the masks and facades of the people you know when they are trying to hide something? This intimacy is what makes character creation is a refreshing activity.

I love discovering new worlds. I have a fun writing exercise that I use when I want to create a world or scenic area. I call it the Blank Cube. Have you ever seen a cartoon where the characters fall out of the background into a completely white limbo? Imagine yourself in such a spot, only you have absolute power to populate the scenery however you choose. Where is the horizon? What color is the sky? The color and shade of the grass? Turn in a circle, what do you see? Shape the world with the power of your thoughts alone. No inner editor allowed here – just you and the unquestioned power of creation. This is one of the greatest joys of being a fiction writer. Yes, it’s an ego trip, but please save self-denial for that third sprinkled doughnut that is calling your name. Explore the Blank Cube and bring a new world to life.

I’m one of those people that loves knowing the “why” of everything. Call it a strange and guilty pleasure. When I’m working out a storyline, the first test centers on why an event would happen, why would the character(s) take a certain course or action, why would anyone care, why, why. This is a fun exercise and another way to gain intimacy with your characters. “Hey, Bill. Why do you stutter when you talk about your mother but the rest of the time your speech is politician smooth?” And don’t forget to ask the villains the same questions: “Why exactly are you trying to become the supreme overlord of the corner hot dog stand?” In life, finding out the reasons behind other peoples actions and those of the world around us is often difficult and hidden by layers of defense; I’m convinced it is a reflex from childhood, no one wants to get found out and have to pay up for their actions: “If they knew why I did this it would make me look stupid/incompetent/etc.”. In our fiction, the world is an open book (pun intended) that cannot hide when we take the time to search. Find out the why and watch your writing resonate with the power of discovery.

Last, but never least – I enjoy meeting and getting to know other writers. Spending too much time alone in one’s own mind does have drawbacks. Insulation saps inspiration – we need contact in order to learn, grow and recharge the batteries. Only another writer can truly understand the trials and joys of writing. Yes, your mom loves you but a nice brownie and a suggestion to go do something “useful” is not going to help figure out how best to get your protagonist from point A to point B. Take the brownie to go and find a writing friend to talk the issue out with – and that, my friends, is something “useful” and a joy I hope you all experience regularly.

What are some of the reasons you love being a writer? What is the “writerly” activity you most enjoy? Do you have writing buddies you can hang out, call and chat with?

~*~

Gene Lempp

Can You Trust Your Fickle Muse? by Julie Glover

Okay, I admit it: The first time I heard anything about muses was not in English class studying Greek mythology. It was from the movie Xanadu in which Olivia Newton-John played the Olympian muse of dancing and chorus (Terpsichore). While I have since learned more about the history of muses and their presumed effects on human creativity, this film has had a lasting impact on my perspective: When I picture my own writing muse, she is blond, sings, and wears roller skates.

 

We writers often speak about our muses – that magical, intangible sense of creativity that feels at times like a tap on the shoulder and at other times like being pushed off a cliff. The concept that someone or something supernatural is guiding or walking alongside us as we create worlds and characters, plot stories, and express ourselves through language on the page is rather appealing. It makes what we do seem even more special and spiritual.

 

But do you actually know anything about the Greek gods? They were a fickle bunch! These characters were selfish, deceptive, and narcissistic on the whole. Yes, they were also strong and heroic at times. However, you couldn’t count on all roses and rainbows from Mount Olympus. Just ask Percy.

 

Keep that in mind when you think about your Muse and treat her accordingly. Of course it’s wonderful to have that surge of inspiration that enlightens your path as you write your manuscript! But don’t count on her to be available whenever you need to work. She may be off tickling her own fancy for a bit while you desperately need to finish this scene or edit that chapter. Face it: Your Muse is a fickle diva.

 

That’s why we need goals, strategy, self-discipline, and accountability. Thankfully, A Round of Words in 80 Days is all about that. Muse or no muse, you put in your time and make tangible progress.

 

Sometimes when you write, you will feel the language flowing easily from your brain and fingertips. You’ll be amazed at how gracefully it’s coming together. And sometimes, it can be as author and journalist Gene Fowler described: “Writing is easy. All you do is stare at a blank sheet of paper until drops of blood form on your forehead.” Either way, you are a writer. You can’t trust your Muse to hover over you ready to spill pixie dust on your page. You must trust yourself.

 

Have a plan. Set goals. Think. Put your derriere in the chair and start typing. Watch as words appear on the screen. Recognize, Hey, this is writing! Check in with your ROW80 writer friends and get their encouragement or their kicks-in-the-pants as needed.

 

In fact, ROW80 friends often function like muses themselves. They spark an idea with something they say; they cheer you on to write or edit; and they give an attagirl or attaboy when you achieve something wonderful. (Plus, they aren’t nearly so self-centered and fickle as a Greek Titan.)

 

Go ahead and believe in that beautiful Muse! She’s good company to have around. But believe in yourself and your writer friends as well. After all, that roller-skating, pop-singing gal won’t have her name on the book cover. It will be yours.

 

 ~*~

Julie Glover

The Number One Way To Reach Your Goals: Write! by Belle DiMonte

“Reduce your plan to writing. The moment you complete this, you will have definitely given concrete form to the intangible desire.” –Napoleon Hill

Write.

 

That’s all you need to do.

 

Just write.

 

Set aside time—be it each evening, each morning, each weekend, whatever— and write. It doesn’t matter how much you write, as long as you write. The mere act of writing regularly sharpens your mind and encourages ideas to flow. It gets you out of self-doubting mental ruts and onto the paper. It gets you engaged. It makes you think. And your story will grow.

 

Each word written, each sentence edited, each day you sit down to add to that WIP brings you a word, a line, a page closer to your goal. Write with abandon and write with your heart. Write! Write! Write! Editing can come later. If something’s poorly written you can fix it later. If you’re unsure about something you can change it later. Skip the scenes that are giving you trouble and write the words you know you can write now. You can form a beautiful tapestry if you just weave. Weave, work, and reweave. Line by line. Word by word.

 

Let me tell you a story, about my experiences with writing goals.

 

I used to not write very much. I would only write when I felt “called by the Muse”, which was, honestly, almost never. Hardly ever did words just flow brilliantly off my tongue, perfect, lyrical, and all-round wonderful from conception. And consequently, it took me forever to finish almost anything.

 

But I wanted to be a career novelist, and novels don’t write themselves, so I knew I would have to change something in the way I approached writing. I decided to set my goal as 1,000 words every day, no matter how inspired I felt. At first I didn’t like it. It was painful. Each night I thought the 1,000 words I’d just written were the crappiest ever. But when I’d look at the words the next morning…often I would think, “Hey, these aren’t so bad. I can keep most of them. I think I can even use this as the pivotal scene in the chapter. I’m glad I actually wrote these.”

The more I practiced writing like this the easier it became and the more I loved it. My mind loosened up. Words and ideas began to flow. Novels grew.

 

Write something everyday. It doesn’t have to be long. 500 words, 200 words, even 1 word. How much you write doesn’t matter. What matters is the act of writing, the act of sitting down and spilling words onto paper.

 

So write! That’s all you need to do.

 

Even if it’s just one line.

Write.

~*~

Belle DiMonte

Building Discipline and ROW80 Goals

I got into a discussion with my crit partner Susan Bischoff last week, who remarked that I was the only person she knew that, were I to be able to quit my job to write full time, actually would write full time.  After a bit of thought, I decided she was probably right.  The vast majority of people would be well intentioned.  They think, “Oh, if I could just quit my job, I could put out 3 or 4 books a year!”  And then that glorious day would happen, and those people, in the absence of the structure of an Evil Day Job work day, would wind up frittering away all of their time on Twitter or Pinterest or blogging or TV or any of the 875,000 things we love to do to procrastinate.  They might even write less WITHOUT the job than they did WITH the job.  Because they mistakenly think “Oh I have all day instead of just that hour before dinner,” and then their day gets filled up with other stuff, mostly crap, and then they’re left at the end of the day wondering where their time went.

 

This is the funny thing about time.  It has a habit of always being full, no matter how much or how little you need to cram into a frame.

 

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

The simple fact of the matter is that it isn’t enough to want to write full time.  If you don’t take the time and make the effort to develop DISCIPLINE and good habits BEFORE you quit your job, you aren’t going to have discipline or good habits after.  This is part of what ROW80 is about.  I want to help you develop that discipline and establish those good habits in your every day life.  I want to help you take YOURSELF seriously as a writer, treat YOURSELF as a professional, so that that bracket of time you can devote to writing, be it an hour or a day, becomes set in your mind as Writing Time–something you protect with the fierceness of a honey badger.  Because here’s the thing–when you’re self employed and most ESPECIALLY when you are a writer, people will not take you seriously unless you make them.  They see what you do as a hobby, not a means of making a living, and assume you can drop what you’re doing to do whatever darn thing they want because it’s no big deal.  You’re self employed and can set your own hours.  Or even, dare I say it, that it’s just not that important because it isn’t like a Real Job.  Yep the morons of the non-creative world think that.  Some of them anyway.

So Susan is absolutely right.  If I’m ever able to quit my day job, I actually will write full time.  I already have a pretty good idea of exactly how my daily schedule will go (because job or no, I am a schedule-happy person).  And it will work because I have spent years developing the discipline to make it work.

I want that for all of you.  I want you to get comfortable with that discipline, with protecting your Writing Time.  So give some thought to that as you make your goals for this Round.  What kind of good habits to you want to establish?  What sort of discipline do you need to work on?

 

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Click here to enter your link and view this Linky Tools list of other intrepid ROWers…  You may notice that an email address is now required on the linky.  As a point of explanation, I don’t have any intention of DOING anything with you email address, it just tends to cut down on the number of random spam links (which were a new occurrence last round).

 

You Are A Writer by Suzanne Pitner

 

When I meet new people online through Twitter or blogs, I usually read their profile pages. I find people fascinating and think it’s fun to get to know them. Sometimes profiles reveal intriguing things I want to know more about. But there’s one self-description I read on profiles all the time, and frankly, it’s disturbing. You’ve probably seen it. I’ve seen it more times than I can count. It’s only two words and that’s one word too many. This is the description:

Aspiring Writer

People, we’re not aspiring writers. It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been writing, or how well you write. If you engage in creating the written word, no matter what you write, be it novels, short stories, articles, picture books, or whatever, you ARE a writer. There’s no aspiring about it.

Perhaps you don’t submit your writing for publication. If you’d like to be a paid writer, the submitting part is important. If you prefer to keep it to yourself, that’s your decision. But to be a writer doesn’t require that you submit. It doesn’t matter if your closest friend or lover is the only one who ever reads your writing. Once you make that heartfelt commitment to start down the writing path, you are a writer.

Many writers are shy about proclaiming they write because they aren’t published yet. That’s where the aspiring often comes into a description. I say, “Pshaw.” (It’s a strange word I happen to like.)

Drop the adjective “aspiring” and declare yourself a writer. Once you think of yourself as a writer, you begin to live the writing life. It becomes your reality. You begin to make time for your writing and make it a priority, because it’s what you do and part of who you are. Others will see you as a writer.

Even when you’ve fallen off your writing schedule because life has gotten in the way, (which life tends to do,) that doesn’t mean you’re no longer a writer. Just sit back down in front of that computer and go at it again. If you need to, paste a sign on the wall over your computer that reads, “I am a writer.” Paste it on your bathroom mirror where you’ll see it every morning. Write the words on a piece of paper and lay it on your pillow so you see it before you go to sleep at night. All day long, let that be your mantra. You are a writer.

We ROWers are writers.

Together, we are ROWing toward success.

~*~

Suzanne Pitner

One Day More by Heather Kelly

How many days does it take to write an imaginative picture book, a compelling short story?, an irresistible novel?

How many days?

Are you firing up the excel worksheet? Are algebraic equations dancing in your head?

Are you shaking that head? Saying, “Heather, that’s even more unknowable than how many licks it takes to get to the center of a tootsie pop.”

Surely the answer is different for each writer, and each WIP. Right?

I beg to differ. I think it takes exactly…

ONE DAY MORE:

I am not above being completely sappy, and comparing our writing struggles to the plights of the characters in Les Mis, in order to get a point across. Also, if none of this works for you, feel free to act out your WIP with legos as inspiration.

Ignore the doubtful voices which swell up in your head, telling you how much work still remains on your magnum opus. Telling you that you need to revise for three months, write 75K–whatever you think the magic formula might be.

Rise up and tear down the barricade. Wage war on your doubts. Just write for…

ONE DAY MORE.

There are so many unknowns in writing, and when we realize we need to change our tactics, or learn something new, or cut a character, the new tasks can be daunting. If we focus on the entirety of what lies ahead of us, we might feel too overwhelmed to continue.

Just keep on, as Marius did, when he realized that, instead of following his love, he needed to fight beside his friends in the Revolution. Just write for…

ONE DAY MORE.

Getting frustrated over how many days we’ve already spent on this work, or comparing our writing process with that of other writers, or thinking that everyone else writes faster, prevents us from getting words on the page.

Filling us with despair as surely as Javert was filled with despair when he realized how wrong he was about Jean Valjean. Just write for…

ONE DAY MORE.

Taking criticisms or submission rejections personally will keep us from seeing our work objectively. Of putting our best foot forward, and putting our work out there. Of getting our work to the next level. If we don’t believe in our work, nobody else will.

We will steal opportunity from ourselves as surely as the Innkeepers stole from, well, everybody. Just submit for…

ONE DAY MORE.

Didn’t reach our goals last week, last month, last year? We can’t let the past get in the way of what we have to give to our WIP.

Just like Eponine didn’t let unrequited love get in the way of living a life dedicated to Marius. Let yesterday go. Just write for…

ONE DAY MORE

This WIP will take as long as it takes. The only thing we can do as master crafters is to give it the time to grow as it will, with each new word, phrase, and scene.

Just as Jean Valjean dedicated each day to protecting those he loved. Just write for…

ONE MORE DAY.

We can do that right? Write for…

ONE. DAY. MORE.

Playing Nice With Others—And With Yourself by Callene Rapp

 

Until about a couple of years ago I pretty much existed in a writing vacuum.  I didn’t know hardly any other writers.  I hid anything I did write behind a ridiculous pseudonym and refused to put myself ‘out there’ for fear of ridicule and rejection.  But I finally realized that if I were going to actually write and get published, then that was going to be part of the game and I could either get in and play, or continue to ride the bench.

So I cautiously edged out of my comfort zone, took a few online classes, actually stopped using that fake name as my email address, and edged my way into the community of writers.

What do you know…no one sent me packing and told me to go back home where I belong!

I learned that the doubt, insecurity, fear and fragile optimism that I felt, nearly every single other writer I met experienced also, even the ones who had attained that Holy Grail of writing:  Successful Publication.

I also discovered that writers are some of the most compassionate, helpful, encouraging, wonderful people to be around, and will go out of their way to encourage a newbie, offer advice, a sympathetic ear, or anything a fledgling might need to feel good about what they are doing.

So why can we be so mean to ourselves?

I was having a conversation with a good friend a while back, in which I was apparently bashing myself up one side and down the other for some writing failure I had committed.  I thought I was just being honest, but my friend didn’t see it that way.

She told me if I didn’t quit knocking myself, she was going to hit me.

I didn’t.

She did.

Right on top of my ball cap, right on that little metal button. I saw stars for about a second, but she had my attention.  I heard myself for the first time.  I heard how much venom I spewed out about myself that I considered, in my own mind, just being honest.

Nasty stuff.

Stuff I would never expect to hear anyone say to me without getting my size 7 ropers in their keister, and stuff I would never ever ever say to anyone else.  Not even my worst enemy.

So why in the hell was I saying it to myself? 

Those little voices in our minds can be so insidious, and because we get so accustomed to hearing that negative loop we don’t even realize it until someone smacks us on top of the head.  They become part of the surroundings we take for granted, the wallpaper, the music in the background, the very air we breathe.

The critics would never get a chance to say anything negative to me.

I was poisoning myself, and defeating my own dream of being a writer before I even gave myself a chance.

Until someone smacked me on top of the head and made me listen to myself for a change.

And I imagine there is one or two of you out there that may be listening to a similar loop in your mind.

I can’t be there to smack you on top of the head, but I can challenge you to stop.  Listen.  And then say something kind to yourself about your writing, your progress, your goals, your dreams.  Talk to yourself like you would someone who needed a friend.

You deserve it.

And yes, that friend that smacked me on top of the head and I are still close.  I just watch what I say around her.  And myself.  I don’t wear my ball cap as much either.

 ~*~

Callene Rapp