A Sobering Question

The dilemma of one of our Fast Track members prompted me to write this post. The statement she made to us haunted me long after I had posted a reply. I hope she will forgive me, but I realized that her concern was one that plagues many new writers. I remember having the same thought when I was younger.

A most exciting time for a writer is that moment of pure inspiration. You get an idea for a book that grips you and just won't let go. All of your thoughts center on this idea. Scenarios, angles, even dialogue swirl around in your mind. You know without a doubt that you have to write this book. Then you think, what if this book has already been written? It's a sobering question that can quickly douse the flame of inspiration. But is it valid? My answer is no, but I wanted the opinion of another writer.

I posed this question to Funds for Writers founder C. Hope Clark. Hope constantly encourages and inspires me...and patiently answers my questions. She has graciously permitted me to quote her answer in this post.

What if the book I want to write has already been written?

What an intriguing question. First of all, your book has never been written. The topic may have been discussed, researched and presented, but never in the manner in which you can write it. How many biographies have been written about George Washington, John F. Kennedy, or Princess Diana? How many Civil War books have covered each skirmish, battle by battle, date by date, general by general? There was even a law-suit about the DaVinci Code, if you will recall, and the authors of the first book lost against Dan Brown, the author of the second book.

You cannot copyright an idea. Ideas belong to the world. The manner in which they are explained belongs to the author. Regardless of what you write, nonfiction or fiction, the manner of story-telling is yours. Even the driest history can come alive in the words of the right author. Your job is to write to make a reader want to read. And if you write it well, with a style all your own, no matter how many times a reader has read about the Industrial Revolution, the greening of America or the lifestyle of the early pioneers in relation to Native Americans, he'll enjoy your book. He'll also tell his friends who will tell their friends, something he's never done with the other versions of the book you think have already been written.

As you can see, it doesn't matter how much has been written on a subject, it's all about your own voice and what you feel you can add to the mix. Don't let anything steal your dreams. If you have questions about writing, ask another writer. Most will be happy to help you. No matter how trivial you may think your questions are, if they keep you from moving forward they are important enough to be answered.

Happy Writing!
StellaD
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C. Hope Clark is the founder of FundsforWriters.com and author of The Shy Writer. She has also been published in Writer's Digest, The Writer, Byline Magazine and others.

Imagine Your Life

The holidays are behind us now and most of you have reluctantly returned to work. Your bodies might be sitting behind a desk or working on the manufacturing floor, but your minds are somewhere else. Somewhere far, far away...lost in imagination.

Imagination is a writer's greatest asset. Novel writers use imagination to create characters, shape plot, and write dialogue. Poets make imaginative thoughts and visions come alive on the page. Copywriters and other non-fiction writers use imagination to create advertising or write articles. A writer's imagination is undoubtedly the most used tool in her/his repertoire, but how many writers use this tool in their 'real' lives?

Now, I'm sure you've often thought about what your life would be like if you were free to write. Most of us have from time to time. You've imagined what it would feel like to have your first article accepted, or your first novel published. There's your book on the New York Times Best Seller list. There you are on Oprah! Great feeling, right? But have you thought about your day to day life? How would you structure your daily writing activities? What would a day in your writing life be like?

Here is an exercise often used by Lifestyle/Creative Career Coaches to help their clients get a feel for living the life they dream of. This exercise can be used by anyone, but we are going to model it here for a writer:

Imagine you no longer have to work an outside job. You can now stay home and write to your heart's content. Drawing on the things you know about yourself, what would your perfect day be like? What time would you like to get up? Would you take some time to relax over coffee or breakfast before starting your day, or would you go straight to your home office? Where is your office? Is it in a room in the house, or outside (such as in a detached garage)? Do you work at a computer or writing desk, or do you take your laptop or a notebook and wander outside to write in good weather? How long will you write? You might have a set schedule, or you might write so many words/pages before stopping. Or you might not even write first thing in the morning. You might use that time to research, or run errands, and write in the evening.

The key is to use your imagination to create what you'd like your life to be like. Write it all down. Describe a daily work routine that makes you happy. This is about you and your unique personality. It's a new year. Start today. Imagine your life. Make it extraordinary.

Happy Writing!
StellaD

Winds of Change Blowing

In like a Lion, out like a Lamb? That's what they say about March, but this is January! I'm watching the Weather Channel as I write and there are a few snow flurries in Atlanta right now, but not expecting any accumulation. Not likely to get any this far down the I-85 corridor, though. The only snow I get to see any more is on the tv. Bummer. The North Wind ushered in the New Year and has been blowing steadily all day with gusts that sound like thunder rolling over the roof. The gusts remind me of the song "Winds of Change" by Starship (formerly Jefferson Starship) in the 1980's. As this is the beginning of a new year, and an election year to boot, I think it's quite fitting.

This is a good time to take stock of where you are, look back at where you've been, and think about where you want to go this year. Take some time to sit down and think about the past year. What were the goals you set to accomplish? Did you manage to accomplish them? What were the obstacles or challenges you faced along the way? If you were able to overcome them, how did you do so? If not, is there any way you can avoid them this year? Are you where you wanted to be, or at least very close?

Now think about what you would like to accomplish this year. Put your goals in writing and place them somewhere where you will see them often, preferably every day. Keep in mind, though, that nothing is etched in stone. You can change your mind, your goals, and your direction at any time. For now, just think about things that you would like to do, any place you would like to visit, anything you would like to accomplish and write them down. Take a break, then come back and review your list and try to determine what you would need to do to achieve those goals. Write those things down, too. This is probably the hardest part, at least it is for me, so don't stress. This is where researching and networking can help immensely. But for now, you just want to get an idea of what you want for your life in this new year.

The winds of change are blowing. This is a year of high energy. Tap into it. Make it productive, make it fun!

Happy New Year to all of you!
StellaD