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"You don't get harmony when everybody sings the same note." --Doug Floyd
If you hear a voice within you say "you cannot paint," then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced. ~Vincent Van Gogh
Awhile back, hubby and I yanked out the guitars, plugged in the vintage amps and took the digital recording equipment out for a spin. One of the classic songs we worked on is a long-time favorite: "Wild Horses" by the Rolling Stones. I memorized this tune back at the tender age of fifteen *gasp!* and to this day relish the intricate chord changes and plaintive lyrics. Love it, love it, love it… Except for one pesky little detail. Singing in the dreaded key of G.
Now I could transpose the chords or slap on a capo but for the accompanying lead guitarist, that’s a pain in the arse. There are those too who would argue that the richness and depth of the original chords are compromised.
Flash back to a few days earlier. Sipping a fine glass of cabernet, we’d been listening to the "Rolling Stones Rarities" album. The version on this disc has a blues feel, more vibrant and intense. Something about the husky tone in Mick's wail reverberated inside my soul. Suddenly, I just *knew*. The urge to redo the song thundered in my veins. So after hubby patiently arranged the microphones just so, and we dashed through the chord changes a couple of times, we gave it a go.
"Faith is believing in things when common sense tells you not to." ~George Seaton
Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase. ~Martin Luther King Jr.
The first verse came out in a wobbly squeak, rather like an adolescent boy pushing maturity. A sure sign of the frustrating inability to Find My Note. Yet when the haunting chorus came around, I somehow magically tapped in. Faltering at first, but I could *feel* the correct pitch somewhere deep within my bones. By the second verse, I miraculously clung to the note for a few more seconds, astonished to hear myself singing in this impossible key. What a wild, incredible, brilliant rush. Yet… Could I hold it?
"Trust your own instinct. Your mistakes might as well be your own, instead of someone else's." ~Billy Wilder
Each time I'd begin anew… The exhilaration would snatch me up, toss my soul into the wind and I’d thrill in a wave of ecstasy hearing the clear chime of My Note. Up until that fateful moment when I realized (with a rush of stark fear) what I was doing… *snort* At which point, my voice would once again wobble and squeak and my spirits would plunge down to the ground.
Argue for your limitations and, sure enough, they're yours. ~Richard Bach, Illusions
The process fascinated me. As soon as I let my thoughts wander over to an observation of my actions I’d lose focus. An image popped in my mind. The classic Warner Bros. cartoons where, in his eternal quest to snare the clever Roadrunner, Wile E. Coyote would race off the cliff, legs windmilling wildly. His nimble feet would carry him several feet into the air until a tiny pinprick of awareness would nip his consciousness and, with eyes widening in realization, he’d sneak a glance down.
Ooops!
CRASH!
Life requires a certain amount of faith. Perhaps it’s most obvious in performance mode (or while chasing an elusive Road Runner), yet it’s clear that this axiom serves throughout every aspect of our existence. I know that when I’m typing, if I stop to think about the process my speed will slow considerably. I’ll become self-conscious, wondering if my fingers really know what to do. I'll make mistakes and often begin an endless cycle of correction, which then leads to even more mistakes.
Grrrr…
Once you become self-conscious, there is no end to it; once you start to doubt, there is no room for anything else. ~Mignon McLaughlin, The Neurotic's Notebook, 1960
The last sentence is really the crux of the matter. While most of us (whether deliberately or not) work towards a measure of self-awareness, we also must step away from being self-conscious. Meaning, we must learn to not second-guess each decision or micromanage every step of our life. Which isn’t always easy.
Faith is courage; it is creative while despair is always destructive. ~David S. Muzzey
What I realized during the course of the night is that even the most impossible task can be accomplished if you tune in just right. Not to say that one can bypass the effort required to move past the blocks, whether it be learning the chords, striving to understand the process of plotting, delving into the particulars of mixing hues on a palette, or even distinguishing between an intrusive weed and potential bud in your soon-to-be-blossoming creation.
"Faith is a passionate intuition." ~William Wordsworth
Yet one thing remains clear. It is that initial “tuning in” process that carries us through. Whatever you dream, whatever you yearn for, can be accomplished. For writers, we must close our critical "mind's eye" and open our hearts to trust in the process of creation. Trust that the characters will spring to life and the light of inspiration will reveal an amazing story just waiting to be shared. We all have to have to trust that we can and will Find Our Note. Let those fingers fly and encourage your soul to sing.
You have to expect things of yourself before you can do them. ~Michael Jordan
The best way to gain self-confidence is to do what you are afraid to do. ~Author Unknown
Wishing everyone a productive and inspired week!
--Chiron O'Keefe
Also featured at Pop Culture Divas
PS.. I also want to let you know that if you like my weekly essays and want the motivational boost every week, you can sign up to be a follower of my blog. Just click on the notice at the top of the page. When you sign into Blogger, you'll see my weekly essay which posts every Sunday. Thanks so much!
Showing posts with label richard bach. Show all posts
Showing posts with label richard bach. Show all posts
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Choosing to Believe
"Argue for your limitations, and sure enough they're yours." --- Richard Bach, Illusions.
There are times when we honestly can't write. A few weeks ago I noticed a unpleasant tenderness in my thumb. Gripping jars was difficult and typing became increasingly more painful. Instead of ignoring the ache as is my tendency, I visited my doctor who pronounced the tendon in my thumb inflamed and advised me to not type or play music for at least two weeks. *gasp*
My first instinct was to ignore her advice, which unfortunately she intuitively grasped and responded to. "That is if you want this to heal."
Damn.
Okay, there's that.
During my unplanned break, I caught a very strange movie (The Science of Sleep, if you must know) and suddenly tapped into an intriguing idea for fantasy fiction. Undaunted by my sore thumb, I grabbed pad and paper and scratched out notes with my working hand until it ached. Granted I'll have to decipher those scribbles (embarrassing confession time: my handwriting could double as war-time code). Still, I showed myself that I could move forward despite the current restriction on my typing.
Yes, we do encounter obstacles, and when faced with such, we strive to get around them or to work beyond them.
Yet obstacles are not limitations. Limitations are the restrictions we choose to embrace. Many writers combine a writing career with a day job or family. Some juggle jobs and family duties and still manage to carve out a few precious writing minutes every day. There can be physical obstacles too (like my inflamed tendon), or even an unmet need for privacy or quiet. There are endless obstacles that we may encounter but none of these are limitations. Why? Simply put, because it is a choice to be limited.
Another choice (and dare I say a better one?) is to believe in our dreams and in our success. Why choose otherwise? Let's decide also to let go of any tendency to explain why we can't succeed or why we can't embrace our dreams. Let's instead perceive each obstacle as a river to be crossed and get to work building a bridge.
"No pessimist every discovered the secret of the stars or sailed an uncharted land, or opened a new doorway for the human spirit." --Helen Keller
To be pessimistic means that we focus on what we cannot do or worse, we put all our energy into noticing the problems while turning our attention away from the solutions. It's not realistic to believe in failure or to set yourself up to "avoid disappointment." It is realistic to recognize that rejections may be inevitable in life but a rejection simply means there's more work to be done. Another dozen queries perhaps, or another book under your belt.
My good friend, author Misty Evans, faced many rejections. She could have given up but she chose to keep moving forward. Not only did she focus on sending out more queries she also kept writing. When she finally made a sale, how fortunate was she to have not just one book to sell, but a trilogy to be polished and submitted. When she found her editor, the books she chose to write were now waiting.
Richard Bach's book Jonathan Livingston Seagull was rejected 140 times before getting picked up. Gone With The Wind was reportedly rejected 38 times. A Wrinkle in Time was rejected 26 times before being published by Farrar, Straus & Giroux. The list goes on and on. Even Ray Bradbury said in an interview on Barnes and Noble that he was rejected over a thousand times!
To be successful requires an unwavering belief in yourself and in your dreams. A healthy dose of optimism is just the right medicine.
Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence. –Helen Keller
To be optimistic, we must throw open our hearts and believe. Despite the obstacles, despite any rejections, despite the times we want to heave that damn computer out the window and give up. Instead, we wish upon a star…
"All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them." –Walt Disney
Instead of comparing our lot with that of those who are more fortunate than we are, we should compare it with the lot of the great majority of our fellow men. It then appears that we are among the privileged. –Helen Keller
The greatest gift anyone can have is a dream to pursue. Millions of people yearn for something they cannot define. A lucky few know exactly what they would like to do or who they would like to become. The obstacles may be many but with courage, patience, perseverance and a healthy dose of optimism, just about anything you dream of can be achieved.
Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see a shadow. –Helen Keller
One secret to victory is that reality will reflect back what we believe. That's why so many successful people recount stories of optimism and faith. If you believe in yourself, in your triumph over the odds, others will believe it too. If you mark each day with a sign of your success, you establish a habit of productivity and positive thinking that leads you past the obstacles and to your own Happy Ending.
Let's stay focused, mark each day with a sign of our individual success, and start off the morning with a reminder to ourselves: "You, my friend, are a Successful Author!" Write on!
--Chiron O'Keefe
There are times when we honestly can't write. A few weeks ago I noticed a unpleasant tenderness in my thumb. Gripping jars was difficult and typing became increasingly more painful. Instead of ignoring the ache as is my tendency, I visited my doctor who pronounced the tendon in my thumb inflamed and advised me to not type or play music for at least two weeks. *gasp*
My first instinct was to ignore her advice, which unfortunately she intuitively grasped and responded to. "That is if you want this to heal."
Damn.
Okay, there's that.
During my unplanned break, I caught a very strange movie (The Science of Sleep, if you must know) and suddenly tapped into an intriguing idea for fantasy fiction. Undaunted by my sore thumb, I grabbed pad and paper and scratched out notes with my working hand until it ached. Granted I'll have to decipher those scribbles (embarrassing confession time: my handwriting could double as war-time code). Still, I showed myself that I could move forward despite the current restriction on my typing.
Yes, we do encounter obstacles, and when faced with such, we strive to get around them or to work beyond them.
Yet obstacles are not limitations. Limitations are the restrictions we choose to embrace. Many writers combine a writing career with a day job or family. Some juggle jobs and family duties and still manage to carve out a few precious writing minutes every day. There can be physical obstacles too (like my inflamed tendon), or even an unmet need for privacy or quiet. There are endless obstacles that we may encounter but none of these are limitations. Why? Simply put, because it is a choice to be limited.
Another choice (and dare I say a better one?) is to believe in our dreams and in our success. Why choose otherwise? Let's decide also to let go of any tendency to explain why we can't succeed or why we can't embrace our dreams. Let's instead perceive each obstacle as a river to be crossed and get to work building a bridge.
"No pessimist every discovered the secret of the stars or sailed an uncharted land, or opened a new doorway for the human spirit." --Helen Keller
To be pessimistic means that we focus on what we cannot do or worse, we put all our energy into noticing the problems while turning our attention away from the solutions. It's not realistic to believe in failure or to set yourself up to "avoid disappointment." It is realistic to recognize that rejections may be inevitable in life but a rejection simply means there's more work to be done. Another dozen queries perhaps, or another book under your belt.
My good friend, author Misty Evans, faced many rejections. She could have given up but she chose to keep moving forward. Not only did she focus on sending out more queries she also kept writing. When she finally made a sale, how fortunate was she to have not just one book to sell, but a trilogy to be polished and submitted. When she found her editor, the books she chose to write were now waiting.
Richard Bach's book Jonathan Livingston Seagull was rejected 140 times before getting picked up. Gone With The Wind was reportedly rejected 38 times. A Wrinkle in Time was rejected 26 times before being published by Farrar, Straus & Giroux. The list goes on and on. Even Ray Bradbury said in an interview on Barnes and Noble that he was rejected over a thousand times!
To be successful requires an unwavering belief in yourself and in your dreams. A healthy dose of optimism is just the right medicine.
Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence. –Helen Keller
To be optimistic, we must throw open our hearts and believe. Despite the obstacles, despite any rejections, despite the times we want to heave that damn computer out the window and give up. Instead, we wish upon a star…
"All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them." –Walt Disney
Instead of comparing our lot with that of those who are more fortunate than we are, we should compare it with the lot of the great majority of our fellow men. It then appears that we are among the privileged. –Helen Keller
The greatest gift anyone can have is a dream to pursue. Millions of people yearn for something they cannot define. A lucky few know exactly what they would like to do or who they would like to become. The obstacles may be many but with courage, patience, perseverance and a healthy dose of optimism, just about anything you dream of can be achieved.
Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see a shadow. –Helen Keller
One secret to victory is that reality will reflect back what we believe. That's why so many successful people recount stories of optimism and faith. If you believe in yourself, in your triumph over the odds, others will believe it too. If you mark each day with a sign of your success, you establish a habit of productivity and positive thinking that leads you past the obstacles and to your own Happy Ending.
Let's stay focused, mark each day with a sign of our individual success, and start off the morning with a reminder to ourselves: "You, my friend, are a Successful Author!" Write on!
--Chiron O'Keefe
Also featured at Pop Culture Divas and Between The Lines.
Thanks to my friend, David Carr for this gem of a motivational video. Enjoy!
Monday, June 22, 2009
The Power of Choice
“Never give up, never surrender!” ---Commander Peter Taggart (lead character in “Galaxy Quest”)
Whenever I’m feeling down, I love to put up my feet and sink my mind into an old favorite movie. The reason is obvious. A good story, whether silly or profound, lifts us out of our ordinary life and into a new perspective. And within each story is a kernel of truth that some reader (or viewer) takes to heart. Perhaps that is the essential ingredient we strive to discover in each of our own stories. That kernel of truth. This is what sets each story apart. For me, this new week, I’m quoting one of my favorite fictional heroes. And I want to urge each of us to Never Give Up, NEVER Surrender!
“Part of the issue of achievement is to be able to set realistic goals, but that's one of the hardest things to do because you don't always know exactly where you're going, and you shouldn't.” ~~ George Lucas
Ah yes, the challenge of balancing the need for realistic goals and the reality that because each story is an independent creation there are quirks and inevitable diversions. Not to mention the unavoidable distractions that daily living often presents. Like John Lennon said, “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.”
We writers also face another challenge in our careers:
“You have to put in many, many, many tiny efforts that nobody sees or appreciates before you achieve anything worthwhile.” --Brian Tracy
Time. Yikes. So many little revisions, hours spent on research or even just staring into space while searching for the exact right word. How many here have sweated over picking the Perfect Name for a character?
Obviously, these precious moments invested are worthwhile. We love being writers, which is why we write. Yet too often we spend just as much time chiding ourselves over the hours wasted or bemoaning the lack of substantial feedback. We all have end goals in sight. A beginning writer hopes to get a positive response from a query. A published writer yearns for a stellar review. A multi-published author strives to reach a particular sales level. And it’s almost certain that every writer will judge herself at each stage, certain that she SHOULD be doing better.
“Success means doing the best we can with what we have. Success is the doing, not the getting; in the trying, not the triumph. Success is a personal standard, reaching for the highest that is in us, becoming all that we can be.” --Zig Ziglar
Let us remember, and remind each other as often as we can, that while we should damn well strive to reach whatever far-reaching goal we set our hearts on, We Are Successful. Reaching for the highest, becoming all we can be… That is the best goal we can hope for. Would we sneer at our best friend for her efforts, or judge her for not reaching her goals quickly enough? Of course not! We’d point out that the strongest trees grow slowly, sinking roots deep into the ground. A spindly sapling that shoots up too quickly might snap in a heavy wind.
“Trust, have faith, and keep doing the work,” we’d murmur with an encouraging smile. Part of the process of staying motivated is keeping your spirits high! As the marathon runners stumble past, the onlookers cheer and shout their support. Imagine if they offered up the kind of words we’ve been known to toss at ourselves when no one is listening. We’ve all done it. My personal favorite is to shout, “I’m a hack! My writing sucks!” while pacing around the room. *rolls eyes* Not very best-friendish, eh?
“Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes." - Oscar Wilde
The truth is, everyone must strive to reach heights that are unfamiliar. We need to keep in mind that even those blessed writers who do get published immediately have issues or personal struggles of their own. We all share the need to better ourselves, to reach our personal heights, to become the Best We Can Be.
Part of what makes the difference with writing is perspective. The more we put the pressure on, the more it seems like WORK (the dreaded four letter word) and less like PLAY. Yet this is what we want more than anything, right? We’re not digging ditches or scrubbing toilets. This is our life’s dream, our greatest joy. Sometimes I find that my whole attitude shifts when I make a few changes in perspective. Rather than saying “I HAVE to finish this book” or “I have to meet this deadline,” how about “I get to finish my book!” “I get to meet a deadline!”
Wow! How lucky am I? *grin*
“The more I want to get something done, the less I call it work." --Richard Bach.
And when you get right down to it, there’s nothing you HAVE to do. Really. Everything is a choice. Even breathing. Sure, the alternative is I’d suffocate *cough* but again, it’s what I choose to do. Sometimes we Choose to take on obligations. It’s easy then to believe we HAVE TO do this or that. But the simple truth is, we Choose. Each and every time. To be responsible. To be kind. To be mature (sometimes *wink*). To write our books.
So let’s make that choice and recognize the beauty and absolute pleasure it is to Have that choice. YAY! We Are WRITERS!
My choice this week is to…
Continue on with first draft of suspense. I'm so close to the end I can taste it!
Weekly essay.
How about you?
Have a fabulous week, everyone!! Go-go-GO!!
Smiles,
Chiron O'Keefe
Also featured at Pop Culture Divas and Between the Lines.
Whenever I’m feeling down, I love to put up my feet and sink my mind into an old favorite movie. The reason is obvious. A good story, whether silly or profound, lifts us out of our ordinary life and into a new perspective. And within each story is a kernel of truth that some reader (or viewer) takes to heart. Perhaps that is the essential ingredient we strive to discover in each of our own stories. That kernel of truth. This is what sets each story apart. For me, this new week, I’m quoting one of my favorite fictional heroes. And I want to urge each of us to Never Give Up, NEVER Surrender!
“Part of the issue of achievement is to be able to set realistic goals, but that's one of the hardest things to do because you don't always know exactly where you're going, and you shouldn't.” ~~ George Lucas
Ah yes, the challenge of balancing the need for realistic goals and the reality that because each story is an independent creation there are quirks and inevitable diversions. Not to mention the unavoidable distractions that daily living often presents. Like John Lennon said, “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.”
We writers also face another challenge in our careers:
“You have to put in many, many, many tiny efforts that nobody sees or appreciates before you achieve anything worthwhile.” --Brian Tracy
Time. Yikes. So many little revisions, hours spent on research or even just staring into space while searching for the exact right word. How many here have sweated over picking the Perfect Name for a character?
Obviously, these precious moments invested are worthwhile. We love being writers, which is why we write. Yet too often we spend just as much time chiding ourselves over the hours wasted or bemoaning the lack of substantial feedback. We all have end goals in sight. A beginning writer hopes to get a positive response from a query. A published writer yearns for a stellar review. A multi-published author strives to reach a particular sales level. And it’s almost certain that every writer will judge herself at each stage, certain that she SHOULD be doing better.
“Success means doing the best we can with what we have. Success is the doing, not the getting; in the trying, not the triumph. Success is a personal standard, reaching for the highest that is in us, becoming all that we can be.” --Zig Ziglar
Let us remember, and remind each other as often as we can, that while we should damn well strive to reach whatever far-reaching goal we set our hearts on, We Are Successful. Reaching for the highest, becoming all we can be… That is the best goal we can hope for. Would we sneer at our best friend for her efforts, or judge her for not reaching her goals quickly enough? Of course not! We’d point out that the strongest trees grow slowly, sinking roots deep into the ground. A spindly sapling that shoots up too quickly might snap in a heavy wind.
“Trust, have faith, and keep doing the work,” we’d murmur with an encouraging smile. Part of the process of staying motivated is keeping your spirits high! As the marathon runners stumble past, the onlookers cheer and shout their support. Imagine if they offered up the kind of words we’ve been known to toss at ourselves when no one is listening. We’ve all done it. My personal favorite is to shout, “I’m a hack! My writing sucks!” while pacing around the room. *rolls eyes* Not very best-friendish, eh?
“Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes." - Oscar Wilde
The truth is, everyone must strive to reach heights that are unfamiliar. We need to keep in mind that even those blessed writers who do get published immediately have issues or personal struggles of their own. We all share the need to better ourselves, to reach our personal heights, to become the Best We Can Be.
Part of what makes the difference with writing is perspective. The more we put the pressure on, the more it seems like WORK (the dreaded four letter word) and less like PLAY. Yet this is what we want more than anything, right? We’re not digging ditches or scrubbing toilets. This is our life’s dream, our greatest joy. Sometimes I find that my whole attitude shifts when I make a few changes in perspective. Rather than saying “I HAVE to finish this book” or “I have to meet this deadline,” how about “I get to finish my book!” “I get to meet a deadline!”
Wow! How lucky am I? *grin*
“The more I want to get something done, the less I call it work." --Richard Bach.
And when you get right down to it, there’s nothing you HAVE to do. Really. Everything is a choice. Even breathing. Sure, the alternative is I’d suffocate *cough* but again, it’s what I choose to do. Sometimes we Choose to take on obligations. It’s easy then to believe we HAVE TO do this or that. But the simple truth is, we Choose. Each and every time. To be responsible. To be kind. To be mature (sometimes *wink*). To write our books.
So let’s make that choice and recognize the beauty and absolute pleasure it is to Have that choice. YAY! We Are WRITERS!
My choice this week is to…
Continue on with first draft of suspense. I'm so close to the end I can taste it!
Weekly essay.
How about you?
Have a fabulous week, everyone!! Go-go-GO!!
Smiles,
Chiron O'Keefe
Also featured at Pop Culture Divas and Between the Lines.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
To Wish Upon A Star…
Walt Disney was a dreamer with far-reaching goals. A fanciful visionary who truly believed in the magic of his beliefs.
"If you can dream it, you can do it." --Walt Disney
These days, hope and faith may feel like a lost dream. Yet in every era known to man there has always been two distinct choices: To believe in hope or to give in to despair. The greatest success stories always seem to feature heroes and heroines who take a chance despite the odds. Not only did they risk failure, they usually took an even greater risk. They strove to be unique in a world demanding conformity.
"Do not wish to be anything but what you are, and try to be that perfectly." ~ St. Francis De Sales
A struggle that many writers face is whether they will need to distort their vision or compromise their ideals in order to conform to what others believe in.
"He who trims himself to suit everyone will soon whittle himself away." ~Raymond Hull
There is much wisdom to be garnered by studying the rules of the craft, by absorbing the wisdom and advice of others in the field. However, writing is art. The ideas spring from your soul. You can learn how to create beautiful prose and how to construct a character arc. You can develop an ability to self-edit with the same finesse as a professional. What you can't learn is how to bring forth the stories that sweep you away. The only way to develop your art is to write without fear, without compromise, without worrying about conforming to anyone's standards but your own.
"Self-trust is the first secret of success." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
Self-trust requires one very important thing. We must embrace our Self. So many of us struggle to fit in and to be accepted that we forget that our life is really our own. I remember many years ago, arguing with someone who wanted me to Be something I absolutely wasn't. Furious, I shouted, "Tell you what, next life YOU can be me but until then, I'm making my own damn choices!" *snort* Silly, I know, but my impulsive rant actually awoke within me a determination to not let others rule my life. As life lessons often go, this dilemma has popped up repeatedly as I come full circle and once again face others who insist my success or my happiness is dependent on me conforming to their ideals.
Wrong! *laughs*
"To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
Trust in your dreams, trust in your own vision, trust that you can be and create exactly what you desire. There are times when you'll face rejection or criticism and believe me, it will sting. But those wounds heal much faster when you follow your heart. Many authors have heartily rejected the notion that success depends on conformity. Sherrilyn Kenyon is one author who faced countless rejections and persevered because she absolutely refused to place another person's belief over her own. She believed in her vision and because of that kept submitting until at last she found someone who took a chance. Now, she's a NY Times Bestselling Author. Sound good to you?
Believe in Yourself. Believe in Your Vision.
"All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them." --Walt Disney
Yup, Dreams Can Come True. *smile* In fact, they do all the time. For some, the wait seems interminable, for others the journey is much quicker. One thing all people have in common is this. Happiness does not come as a result of success. Happiness comes from self-fulfillment. When Self-Fulfillment coincides with Success, my friends, you have created a dream come true.
"I prefer to be true to myself, even at the hazard of incurring the ridicule of others, rather than to be false, and to incur my own abhorrence." –Frederick Douglass
Be yourself. Believe in your Dreams. Know that Success Can Be Yours.
"Sooner or later, those who win are those who think they can." –Richard Bach
Now, I'd like to leave you a taste of Disney.
When you wish upon a star
Makes no difference who you are
Anything your heart desires
Will come to you.
If your heart is in your dream
No request is too extreme
When you wish upon a star
As dreamers do.
Like a bolt out of the blue
Fate steps in and sees you through
When you wish upon a star
Your dreams come true. --Ned Washington and Leigh Harline
There is good news on the horizon. *smile* Today on Facebook, agent extraordinaire Jessica Faust posted a link to a NY Times article suggesting sales are up for stories with a happy ending. Ms. Faust's blog is one of the best resources an author can hope for. Her perspective and her insights provide inspiration and a sorely needed solidarity in today's uncertain world. We're lucky to have her as an advocate—her track record speaks for itself. Thanks, Jessica!
Ready to write? Let's keep those dreams alive and put our fingers to work!
Here's to an inspired week of astonishing productivity. Go-go-GO!
Smiles,
Chiron O'Keefe
Also featured at Pop Culture Divas!
"If you can dream it, you can do it." --Walt Disney
These days, hope and faith may feel like a lost dream. Yet in every era known to man there has always been two distinct choices: To believe in hope or to give in to despair. The greatest success stories always seem to feature heroes and heroines who take a chance despite the odds. Not only did they risk failure, they usually took an even greater risk. They strove to be unique in a world demanding conformity.
"Do not wish to be anything but what you are, and try to be that perfectly." ~ St. Francis De Sales
A struggle that many writers face is whether they will need to distort their vision or compromise their ideals in order to conform to what others believe in.
"He who trims himself to suit everyone will soon whittle himself away." ~Raymond Hull
There is much wisdom to be garnered by studying the rules of the craft, by absorbing the wisdom and advice of others in the field. However, writing is art. The ideas spring from your soul. You can learn how to create beautiful prose and how to construct a character arc. You can develop an ability to self-edit with the same finesse as a professional. What you can't learn is how to bring forth the stories that sweep you away. The only way to develop your art is to write without fear, without compromise, without worrying about conforming to anyone's standards but your own.
"Self-trust is the first secret of success." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
Self-trust requires one very important thing. We must embrace our Self. So many of us struggle to fit in and to be accepted that we forget that our life is really our own. I remember many years ago, arguing with someone who wanted me to Be something I absolutely wasn't. Furious, I shouted, "Tell you what, next life YOU can be me but until then, I'm making my own damn choices!" *snort* Silly, I know, but my impulsive rant actually awoke within me a determination to not let others rule my life. As life lessons often go, this dilemma has popped up repeatedly as I come full circle and once again face others who insist my success or my happiness is dependent on me conforming to their ideals.
Wrong! *laughs*
"To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
Trust in your dreams, trust in your own vision, trust that you can be and create exactly what you desire. There are times when you'll face rejection or criticism and believe me, it will sting. But those wounds heal much faster when you follow your heart. Many authors have heartily rejected the notion that success depends on conformity. Sherrilyn Kenyon is one author who faced countless rejections and persevered because she absolutely refused to place another person's belief over her own. She believed in her vision and because of that kept submitting until at last she found someone who took a chance. Now, she's a NY Times Bestselling Author. Sound good to you?
Believe in Yourself. Believe in Your Vision.
"All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them." --Walt Disney
Yup, Dreams Can Come True. *smile* In fact, they do all the time. For some, the wait seems interminable, for others the journey is much quicker. One thing all people have in common is this. Happiness does not come as a result of success. Happiness comes from self-fulfillment. When Self-Fulfillment coincides with Success, my friends, you have created a dream come true.
"I prefer to be true to myself, even at the hazard of incurring the ridicule of others, rather than to be false, and to incur my own abhorrence." –Frederick Douglass
Be yourself. Believe in your Dreams. Know that Success Can Be Yours.
"Sooner or later, those who win are those who think they can." –Richard Bach
Now, I'd like to leave you a taste of Disney.
When you wish upon a star
Makes no difference who you are
Anything your heart desires
Will come to you.
If your heart is in your dream
No request is too extreme
When you wish upon a star
As dreamers do.
Like a bolt out of the blue
Fate steps in and sees you through
When you wish upon a star
Your dreams come true. --Ned Washington and Leigh Harline
There is good news on the horizon. *smile* Today on Facebook, agent extraordinaire Jessica Faust posted a link to a NY Times article suggesting sales are up for stories with a happy ending. Ms. Faust's blog is one of the best resources an author can hope for. Her perspective and her insights provide inspiration and a sorely needed solidarity in today's uncertain world. We're lucky to have her as an advocate—her track record speaks for itself. Thanks, Jessica!
Ready to write? Let's keep those dreams alive and put our fingers to work!
Here's to an inspired week of astonishing productivity. Go-go-GO!
Smiles,
Chiron O'Keefe
Also featured at Pop Culture Divas!
Monday, December 15, 2008
Write Your Own Happy Ending...
"Argue for your limitations, and sure enough they're yours." --- Richard Bach, American writer and pilot, from his 1977 book, Illusions.
There are times when we honestly can't write. Awhile ago my back went out. My desire to write simply wasn't enough. Unable to sit up at my computer, I spent days with cold packs, ibuprofen and magazines, trying to distract myself from the pain. One thing I could do was read (though barely). I made it through a short story and spent the rest of the time considering how the author had deftly handled the emotions contained within the few pages and how I might too incorporate such brevity in my writing.
Yes, we do encounter obstacles, and when faced with such, we strive to get around them or to work beyond them.
Yet obstacles are not limitations. Limitations are the restrictions we choose to embrace. Many writers combine a writing career with a day job or family. Some who are juggling jobs and family duties still manage to carve out a few precious writing minutes every day. There can be physical obstacles too (like my backstrain), or even an unmet need for privacy or quiet. There are so many obstacles that we may face but none of these are limitations. Why? Because, quite simply put, it is a choice to be limited.
Another choice (and dare I say a better one?) is to believe in our dreams, and in our success. Why choose otherwise? Let's decide also to let go of any tendency to explain why we can't succeed or why we can't embrace our dreams. Let's instead perceive each obstacle as a river to be crossed, and get to work building a bridge.
"No pessimist ever discovered the secret of the stars or sailed an uncharted land, or opened a new doorway for the human spirit." --Helen Keller
To be pessimistic means that we focus on what we cannot do or worse, we put all our energy into noticing the problems and turn our attention away from the solutions. It's not realistic to believe in failure or to set yourself up to "avoid disappointment." It IS realistic to recognize that rejections may inevitable in life BUT a rejection simply means there's more to be done. Another dozen queries perhaps, or another book under your belt.
My good friend, author Misty Evans, faced many rejections. She could have given up but she chose to keep moving forward. Not only did she focus on sending out more queries but she also kept writing. When she finally made a sale, how fortunate was she to have not just one book to sell, but a trilogy to be polished and submitted. When she found her editor, the books she chose to write were now waiting.
Richard Bach's book Jonathan Livingston Seagull was rejected 140 times before getting picked up. Gone With The Wind was reportedly rejected 38 times. A Wrinkle in Time was rejected 26 times before being published by Farrar, Straus & Giroux. The list goes on and on. Even Ray Bradbury said in an interview on Barnes and Noble that he was rejected over a thousand times!
To be successful requires an unwavering belief in yourself. A healthy dose of optimism is just the right medicine.
Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence. –Helen Keller
To be optimistic, we must throw open our hearts and believe. Despite the obstacles, despite any rejections, despite the times we want to heave that damn computer out the window and give up. Instead, we wish upon a star…
Instead of comparing our lot with that of those who are more fortunate than we are, we should compare it with the lot of the great majority of our fellow men. It then appears that we are among the privileged. –Helen Keller
How fortunate are we to recognize and act upon our desire to write! We know what we want to be… what we are… Let's say it together now… We Are WRITERS!
Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see a shadow. –Helen Keller
It's true… reality will reflect back what we believe. That's why so many successful people recount stories of optimism and faith. If you believe in yourself, in your success, others will believe it too. If you mark each day with a sign of your success, you establish a habit of productivity and positive thinking that leads you past the obstacles and to your own Happy Ending.
Let's stay focused, mark each day with a sign of our individual success, start off the morning with a reminder to ourselves in the mirror. "You, my friend, are a Successful Author!" Write ON!
The week before Christmas is a busy time for many. Write what and when you can. If the minutes slip away though, let's keep our thoughts positive! The new year is coming and we're like seeds in the frozen ground ready to burst into bloom. Let's keep our faces to the sun, and remember... We Are WRITERS!
Go-go-GO! Write-write-WRITE!
--Chiron O'Keefe
There are times when we honestly can't write. Awhile ago my back went out. My desire to write simply wasn't enough. Unable to sit up at my computer, I spent days with cold packs, ibuprofen and magazines, trying to distract myself from the pain. One thing I could do was read (though barely). I made it through a short story and spent the rest of the time considering how the author had deftly handled the emotions contained within the few pages and how I might too incorporate such brevity in my writing.
Yes, we do encounter obstacles, and when faced with such, we strive to get around them or to work beyond them.
Yet obstacles are not limitations. Limitations are the restrictions we choose to embrace. Many writers combine a writing career with a day job or family. Some who are juggling jobs and family duties still manage to carve out a few precious writing minutes every day. There can be physical obstacles too (like my backstrain), or even an unmet need for privacy or quiet. There are so many obstacles that we may face but none of these are limitations. Why? Because, quite simply put, it is a choice to be limited.
Another choice (and dare I say a better one?) is to believe in our dreams, and in our success. Why choose otherwise? Let's decide also to let go of any tendency to explain why we can't succeed or why we can't embrace our dreams. Let's instead perceive each obstacle as a river to be crossed, and get to work building a bridge.
"No pessimist ever discovered the secret of the stars or sailed an uncharted land, or opened a new doorway for the human spirit." --Helen Keller
To be pessimistic means that we focus on what we cannot do or worse, we put all our energy into noticing the problems and turn our attention away from the solutions. It's not realistic to believe in failure or to set yourself up to "avoid disappointment." It IS realistic to recognize that rejections may inevitable in life BUT a rejection simply means there's more to be done. Another dozen queries perhaps, or another book under your belt.
My good friend, author Misty Evans, faced many rejections. She could have given up but she chose to keep moving forward. Not only did she focus on sending out more queries but she also kept writing. When she finally made a sale, how fortunate was she to have not just one book to sell, but a trilogy to be polished and submitted. When she found her editor, the books she chose to write were now waiting.
Richard Bach's book Jonathan Livingston Seagull was rejected 140 times before getting picked up. Gone With The Wind was reportedly rejected 38 times. A Wrinkle in Time was rejected 26 times before being published by Farrar, Straus & Giroux. The list goes on and on. Even Ray Bradbury said in an interview on Barnes and Noble that he was rejected over a thousand times!
To be successful requires an unwavering belief in yourself. A healthy dose of optimism is just the right medicine.
Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence. –Helen Keller
To be optimistic, we must throw open our hearts and believe. Despite the obstacles, despite any rejections, despite the times we want to heave that damn computer out the window and give up. Instead, we wish upon a star…
Instead of comparing our lot with that of those who are more fortunate than we are, we should compare it with the lot of the great majority of our fellow men. It then appears that we are among the privileged. –Helen Keller
How fortunate are we to recognize and act upon our desire to write! We know what we want to be… what we are… Let's say it together now… We Are WRITERS!
Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see a shadow. –Helen Keller
It's true… reality will reflect back what we believe. That's why so many successful people recount stories of optimism and faith. If you believe in yourself, in your success, others will believe it too. If you mark each day with a sign of your success, you establish a habit of productivity and positive thinking that leads you past the obstacles and to your own Happy Ending.
Let's stay focused, mark each day with a sign of our individual success, start off the morning with a reminder to ourselves in the mirror. "You, my friend, are a Successful Author!" Write ON!
The week before Christmas is a busy time for many. Write what and when you can. If the minutes slip away though, let's keep our thoughts positive! The new year is coming and we're like seeds in the frozen ground ready to burst into bloom. Let's keep our faces to the sun, and remember... We Are WRITERS!
Go-go-GO! Write-write-WRITE!
--Chiron O'Keefe
Monday, August 11, 2008
Success is in the Doing--The Power of Choice
“Never give up, never surrender!” ---Commander Peter Taggart (lead character in “Galaxy Quest”)
Whenever I’m feeling down, I love to put up my feet and sink my mind into an old favorite movie. The reason is obvious. A good story, whether silly or profound, lifts us out of our ordinary life and into a new perspective. And within each story is a kernel of truth that some reader (or viewer) takes to heart. Perhaps that is the essential ingredient we strive to discover in each of our own stories. That kernel of truth. This is what sets each story apart. For me, this new week, I’m quoting one of my favorite fictional heroes. And I want to urge each of us to Never Give Up, NEVER Surrender!
“Part of the issue of achievement is to be able to set realistic goals, but that's one of the hardest things to do because you don't always know exactly where you're going, and you shouldn't.” ~~ George Lucas
Ah yes, the challenge of balancing the need for realistic goals and the reality that because each story is an independent creation there are quirks and inevitable diversions. Not to mention the unavoidable distractions that daily living often presents. Like Lennon said, “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.”
We writers also face another challenge in our careers:
“You have to put in many, many, many tiny efforts that nobody sees or appreciates before you achieve anything worthwhile.” --Brian Tracy
Time. Yikes. So many little revisions, hours spent on research or even just staring into space while searching for the exact right word. How many here have sweated over picking the Perfect Name for a character? *smile*
Obviously, these precious moments invested are worthwhile. We love being writers, which is why we write. Yet too often we spend just as much time chiding ourselves over the hours wasted or bemoaning the lack of substantial feedback. We all have end goals in sight. A beginning writer hopes to get a positive response from a query. A published writer yearns for a stellar review. A multi-published author strives to reach a particular sales level. And it’s almost certain that every writer will judge herself at each stage, certain that she SHOULD be doing better.
"Success means doing the best we can with what we have. Success is the doing, not the getting; in the trying, not the triumph. Success is a personal standard, reaching for the highest that is in us, becoming all that we can be." ---Zig Ziglar
Let us remember, and remind each other as often as we can, that while we should damn well strive to reach whatever far-reaching goal we set our hearts on, We Are Successful. Reaching for the highest, becoming all we can be… That is the best goal we can hope for.
Would we sneer at our best friend for her efforts, or judge her for not reaching her goals quickly enough? Of course not! We’d point out that the strongest trees grow slowly, sinking roots deep into the ground. A spindly sapling that shoots up too quickly might snap in a heavy wind.
“Trust, have faith, and keep doing the work,” we’d murmur with an encouraging smile. Part of the process of staying motivated is keeping your spirits high! As the marathon runners stumble past, the onlookers cheer and shout their support. Imagine if they offered up the kind of words we’ve been known to toss at ourselves when no one is listening. We’ve all done it. My personal favorite is to shout, “I’m a hack! My writing sucks!” while pacing around the room. *rolls eyes* Not very best-friendish, eh?
“Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes." - Oscar Wilde
The truth is, everyone must strive to reach heights that are unfamiliar. We need to keep in mind that even those blessed writers who do get published immediately have issues or personal struggles of their own. We all share the need to better ourselves, to reach our personal heights, to become the Best We Can Be.
Part of what makes the difference with writing is perspective. The more we put the pressure on, the more it seems like WORK (the dreaded four letter word) and less like PLAY. Yet this is what we want more than anything, right? We’re not digging ditches or scrubbing toilets. This is our life’s dream, our greatest joy. Sometimes I find that my whole attitude shifts when I make a few changes in perspective. Rather than saying “I HAVE to finish this book” or “I have to meet this deadline,” how about “I GET to finish my book!” “I get to meet a deadline!” How lucky am I? *grin*
“The more I want to get something done, the less I call it work." --Richard Bach.
And when you get right down to it, there’s nothing you HAVE to do. Really. Everything is a choice. Even breathing. Sure, the alternative is I’d suffocate *cough* but again, it’s what I choose to do. Sometimes we Choose to take on obligations. It’s easy then to believe we HAVE TO do this or that. But the simple truth is, we Choose. Each and every time. To be responsible. To be kind. To be mature (sometimes *grin*). To write our books.
So let’s make that choice and recognize the beauty and absolute pleasure it is to Have that choice. YAY!! We Are WRITERS!!
My choice this week is to…
Continue on with WIP—more pages, more scenes!
Weekly essay.
Begin submission process with last book.
How about you?
Have a fabulous week, everyone!! Go-go-GO!!
--Chiron
Whenever I’m feeling down, I love to put up my feet and sink my mind into an old favorite movie. The reason is obvious. A good story, whether silly or profound, lifts us out of our ordinary life and into a new perspective. And within each story is a kernel of truth that some reader (or viewer) takes to heart. Perhaps that is the essential ingredient we strive to discover in each of our own stories. That kernel of truth. This is what sets each story apart. For me, this new week, I’m quoting one of my favorite fictional heroes. And I want to urge each of us to Never Give Up, NEVER Surrender!
“Part of the issue of achievement is to be able to set realistic goals, but that's one of the hardest things to do because you don't always know exactly where you're going, and you shouldn't.” ~~ George Lucas
Ah yes, the challenge of balancing the need for realistic goals and the reality that because each story is an independent creation there are quirks and inevitable diversions. Not to mention the unavoidable distractions that daily living often presents. Like Lennon said, “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.”
We writers also face another challenge in our careers:
“You have to put in many, many, many tiny efforts that nobody sees or appreciates before you achieve anything worthwhile.” --Brian Tracy
Time. Yikes. So many little revisions, hours spent on research or even just staring into space while searching for the exact right word. How many here have sweated over picking the Perfect Name for a character? *smile*
Obviously, these precious moments invested are worthwhile. We love being writers, which is why we write. Yet too often we spend just as much time chiding ourselves over the hours wasted or bemoaning the lack of substantial feedback. We all have end goals in sight. A beginning writer hopes to get a positive response from a query. A published writer yearns for a stellar review. A multi-published author strives to reach a particular sales level. And it’s almost certain that every writer will judge herself at each stage, certain that she SHOULD be doing better.
"Success means doing the best we can with what we have. Success is the doing, not the getting; in the trying, not the triumph. Success is a personal standard, reaching for the highest that is in us, becoming all that we can be." ---Zig Ziglar
Let us remember, and remind each other as often as we can, that while we should damn well strive to reach whatever far-reaching goal we set our hearts on, We Are Successful. Reaching for the highest, becoming all we can be… That is the best goal we can hope for.
Would we sneer at our best friend for her efforts, or judge her for not reaching her goals quickly enough? Of course not! We’d point out that the strongest trees grow slowly, sinking roots deep into the ground. A spindly sapling that shoots up too quickly might snap in a heavy wind.
“Trust, have faith, and keep doing the work,” we’d murmur with an encouraging smile. Part of the process of staying motivated is keeping your spirits high! As the marathon runners stumble past, the onlookers cheer and shout their support. Imagine if they offered up the kind of words we’ve been known to toss at ourselves when no one is listening. We’ve all done it. My personal favorite is to shout, “I’m a hack! My writing sucks!” while pacing around the room. *rolls eyes* Not very best-friendish, eh?
“Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes." - Oscar Wilde
The truth is, everyone must strive to reach heights that are unfamiliar. We need to keep in mind that even those blessed writers who do get published immediately have issues or personal struggles of their own. We all share the need to better ourselves, to reach our personal heights, to become the Best We Can Be.
Part of what makes the difference with writing is perspective. The more we put the pressure on, the more it seems like WORK (the dreaded four letter word) and less like PLAY. Yet this is what we want more than anything, right? We’re not digging ditches or scrubbing toilets. This is our life’s dream, our greatest joy. Sometimes I find that my whole attitude shifts when I make a few changes in perspective. Rather than saying “I HAVE to finish this book” or “I have to meet this deadline,” how about “I GET to finish my book!” “I get to meet a deadline!” How lucky am I? *grin*
“The more I want to get something done, the less I call it work." --Richard Bach.
And when you get right down to it, there’s nothing you HAVE to do. Really. Everything is a choice. Even breathing. Sure, the alternative is I’d suffocate *cough* but again, it’s what I choose to do. Sometimes we Choose to take on obligations. It’s easy then to believe we HAVE TO do this or that. But the simple truth is, we Choose. Each and every time. To be responsible. To be kind. To be mature (sometimes *grin*). To write our books.
So let’s make that choice and recognize the beauty and absolute pleasure it is to Have that choice. YAY!! We Are WRITERS!!
My choice this week is to…
Continue on with WIP—more pages, more scenes!
Weekly essay.
Begin submission process with last book.
How about you?
Have a fabulous week, everyone!! Go-go-GO!!
--Chiron
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