Process, process,
process….
In short – I know, bit late – a writer needs to find his or
her process and stick with it. Whatever it is that helps the writer produce writing
that satisfies them is valid to be be called The Right Way, and the only
modifications needed are ones that lead to increased satisfaction.
My process is open and entwined with the jumble called the
human world. It is whimsical and I am free to tolerate dry spells as well as
monsoons. It is not tied up with units
moved or sales promotions right now, because publishing a book isn’t on my
agenda at the moment. When that does become my focus, then I will adjust my
process accordingly to achieve my goals to the best of my ability.
What’s the mindful
aspect to all this?
Simply put, everyone must walk his or her own path in their
own way, because they have to use their own figurative feet to do it.
There will always be people who insist the way I walk isn’t
right, because my path doesn’t match theirs. They can’t accept that my path
doesn’t move towards the same goals as theirs, so they don’t grasp how I could
be so ignorant or wasteful as to pursue my goals through my process.
Acceptance means
that I will know my goal and walk my path in the way my heart and intuition
dictate. I am free to adjust my process because it will bring me closer to my
goals, and I will not be coerced into embracing someone else’s process simply
because it works for them or it landed them a billion-dollar advance. I promise
that many people will embrace that process for exactly that reason…. and then
fail. Why? There may be many explanations, but my best guess is that it’s
because they were trying too hard to walk someone else’s path rather than their
own.
I also accept writer’s block when it happens, simply because
it happens. Getting frustrated over it is natural, and it happens, but by
accepting it rather than judging it, I can overcome it by doing or writing something
else. It’s like when I’m trying to remember someone’s name and the harder I try
the farther away it gets. Fighting it is usually futile, while moving on often
frees my mind of the block and the name (or the words) shows up.
I need to be non-judgmental
about days of writing. They aren’t necessarily good or bad. They are just days.
I often fail at this, of course, but that’s usually because a writing day
either exceeded or failed to match my expectations for it. It would be a shame
to miss the fact that a wonderful day full of value just passed me, declared to
be a rotten day just because I wrote 3000 words that might never see the light
of day. Shoot, how many best-selling authors had weeks like that? Bunches.
I gotta have faith
(there’s that song again!) that my writing will achieve my goal of touching
people. Even without very much feedback or comments on my blog, I am confident
that I’m hitting my target more than I’m missing it. Writers and guitarists
with certain bands simply adore feedback (well, with some writers it has to be
positive to be appreciated. Lol). Yet I have faith in what I’m writing whether
I hear a word back or not.
Presence? That’s
all about being content with being right here, right now. Whatever success I
have, whatever status I have as a writer, is where I am. I always have room to
improve, and there are always more horizons to aim for. But I should never be
dissatisfied with 50 readers because I should have 100; that would rob me of my
joy and be a discredit to the 50 readers. I can be present with 50 readers, and
at the same time work towards 100. I can let go of yesterday’s day of writing
and wait for tomorrow’s; all I have right now is right now.
And right now I’m thankful that the words are flowing. It’s
a good writing day!
Oops. Rats!
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