Having a down day? A down month? Wondering if this writing thing is for you? Got too many voices in your head--and I don't mean characters. I mean self-doubt--? Those stinging ones I talked about last week, saying "I can't." or "I'm not good enough." Or whatever.
Try this on for size. (And yes, I cry at this assembly. UVU--a local university--athletes come and present it to schools. I am a baby. Deal with it.)
Now I am the VOICE.
I will LEAD, not follow.
I will CREATE, not destroy.
I am a FORCE for GOOD
I am a LEADER
DEFY the ODDS
Set a NEW STANDARD
Step up
Step up
Step up!
(~Anthony Robbins)
So today, I invite you to silence the stinging voices, and take control. Today, YOU are the VOICE. What will you say?
Yeah, I keep bouncing to that place this past week, Telling myself lovely horrid things how I stink as a writer etc.:) So will work on that on today!
ReplyDeleteReading certain awesome books makes me hear those voices about my own writing, lol! I just tell them she's got more practice. I'll get there.
ReplyDeleteI definitely know that place. I'm working on over coming it. I want to be voice. Thanks for the encouragement.
ReplyDeleteRight on! Thanks Elana - I needed that!
ReplyDeleteI say life's too short. DO IT. DO NOT GIVE UP. And under no circumstances should you ever, EVER get a gremlin wet.
ReplyDeleteOh how I needed this! I am the voice, and I will triumph.
ReplyDeleteThe words are just waiting to be discovered.
Oh no! You're expecting me to think so early in the morning.
ReplyDeleteMy voice is getting excited about all the changes I've made to my ms recently. Of course she likes to pop up with her doubt whenever I read a great book. Which is often. But it's her way of encouraging me to challenge myself to do better.
As always, wonderfully inspiring. Add this one: "Tell the editor in your head to SHUT-UP!" Just write.
ReplyDeleteGreat mantra and, what Sheri said!
ReplyDeleteYou wrote that for me, didn't you *wink*
ReplyDeleteI CAN DO IT!
ReplyDelete~JD
I think I may have that tattooed somewhere. ;-)
Great post Elana! I love how you often manage to say so much in so succinct a post - I need to work on that.
ReplyDeleteAnyway I think this is great advice. I believe that to be successful at this kind of thing (writing, art) one has to have a certain amount of Zen.
In High School my Basketball Coach taught us that in order to make a free throw you had to SEE the ball going through the hoop - before you took the shot.
Believe that you will find success - KNOW it in your heart of hearts - and you will.
Just my two cents.
YES! This is awesome motivation!I just read this one in my Daily Guru email...
ReplyDelete"Only those who risk going too far can know how far they can go."
I've been the voice since Saturday...I am loving it too. I'm happy to be back in the writing world :)
ReplyDeleteYea, lets conquer this writing thing!
ReplyDeleteWhen I feel utterly low I keep on hand a couple of horrible books Lol I know, pathetic! I say to myself, "If that can be published, by good gods so can I!!!!"
My voice is saying, "Get to work, woman, and start writing!"
ReplyDeleteI like your voice. Much nicer than mine can be :)
ReplyDeleteAwesome post Elana! Once again very true and powerful words! I know that writing is for me and I'm excited to get back into the swing of things now that I'm back in town!
ReplyDeleteI'm having a down day but that's because it's 5 days again without my hubby!!
Great post Elana. I'm going to remind myself of that everytime that little doubt fairy whispers in my ear that I can't. I can. I just need to believe it:)
ReplyDeleteI get weepy over stuff like that, too. What can I say? It's part of being someone who feels deeply enough for all the characters that have to come to life via me.
ReplyDeleteOh one of my CPs needs to read this SO bad. *sending her a link immediately!!!*
ReplyDeleteThanks for the pep talk! I needed it.
ReplyDeleteOne of my CPs just sent me the link to your post (err...see above. ha!) And yes, I truly needed to see this. Thank you for that. Perhaps I'll actually get my queries out today. Just maybe.
ReplyDeletePerfect timing. Yes I CAN.
ReplyDeleteI know those voices well. I think this would be a great mantra to print out and display somewhere prominently in my writing area. Thanks for this.
ReplyDeleteTimely. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI'm totally in the questioning mode right now. So thanks for the encouragement!
ReplyDeleteMy voice says, "Stop reading blogs and get back to your own writing!!"
ReplyDeleteOops.
Oh well...
Shelley
This is awesome, Elana! I am soooo making it into a poster for my classroom! :-)
ReplyDeleteMy dad knows I can do it.
ReplyDeleteSomehow, that's just one voice I can never argue with. It's stone solid.
That questioning voice was me the last half of the week. As soon as I said, I'm going to get ready to query.
ReplyDeleteToday, I say, "I will not be defined by potential failures. Only by potential success."
If only it were that easy. Thanks Elana. : )
ReplyDeleteI like that!
ReplyDeleteSince seeing Almost Alice yesterday, I've been feeling pretty pumped up. I like the young lady finding her voice and taking charge that they created in this new Alice. It gave me an epiphany for the manuscript I'm editing - realizing that my protagonist needs to find her voice in a stronger way that I'd done in the rougher draft. This post goes along with that idea - like a sign that it's the right direction to take the manuscript.
I wish it were as easy as that. I try, I try, and sometimes it's not there. But when it is, it's great!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great way to start the week. Tony is also amazing proof that you can overcome great obstacles through positive thinking. Thanks, Elana!
ReplyDeleteI need to write that on a post-it and stick it to the bathroom mirror or something.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great cheer to start off my week. I'm hoping it's a great one.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Elana!
Time to crush those doubts. :)
ReplyDeleteI usually pick up my very worn copy of Walking on Alligators and read a couple of pages. That is encouraging and inspiring. And most recently, I read other writer's blogs and knowing that others are going through the same thing helps so much. And then I just get right back in there!
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Elana. What a way to start a Monday!
ReplyDeleteThank you, thank you, thank you! I actually got kind of teary when I read that, so apparently I'm a big baby too :)
ReplyDeleteI will tell those voices to shut up this week!
:)
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteOh, I like it! I'm going to say:
ReplyDeleteEat your bloody cupcake, will you, and just stop dreaming about it -- now get back to work!
I say: other people will doubt you enough, don't doubt yourself. Sometimes you are your only cheerleader, so shout it loud and proud! (oh gosh, flashbacks to high school)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the encouragement. I definitely need it. Today's been one of my self doubt days for sure.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Elana! I needed that!
ReplyDeleteHave you ever thought about a career in motivational speaking?
ReplyDeleteGreat post (as always). For the first time in a very long time I am actually feeling very confident in myself as a writer. I expect that will last approximately 2 days :P But I have people like you to remind me to keep going even when I'm sure every word is garbage.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the encouragement :)
THANK YOU FOR THIS! I constantly need to silence those voices. Writing is such a self-involved endeavor that it's hard to be objective. Writers need this encouragement!
ReplyDeleteAwesome post, thank you.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Elana. My voice says, "Write on!"
ReplyDeleteThanks, that was needed. Received another rejection letter today. Ho Hum. Asked myself if this is worth it, then I read this. Yes, I'll keep going forward.
ReplyDeleteCool! I would have cried too. I think I'll tell myself to stop worrying about how long my novel is or how long it is taking me to write it, and just enjoy it. It'll be done when it's ready, and just the right length. Also have to tell myself that I can do this. I don't need to quit.
ReplyDeleteI think my inner voice is going to say go to sleep, but that's probably because I'm currently waiting on feedback while working on a new chapter for my book.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Elana. I blogged about this very issue today.
ReplyDeleteInspiring! I will say:
ReplyDeleteI am a Proverbs woman and I laugh at the days to come :D
I've always wanted to see tony robbins speak!
ReplyDeleteKeep on truckin, one foot in front of the other, etc etc.
Thanks, Elana. I needed this today. I'm feeling woefully inadequate with the conference coming up next week. I hardly have anything written, though I've been busy with a baby.
ReplyDeleteStill, I need to make time (at least 15 minutes or so!) for my writing.
Thanks Elana! Perfect timing for this pep talk. Was feeling a bit down lately about the whole writing thing. :)
ReplyDeleteAlso, the phrase "You're the Voice" immediately makes me think of the John Farnham song of the same name. It's pretty epic, but probably mostly because I associate it with cast members of BBC's show Merlin lip syncing to it. Haha.
When tortured by self doubt, just play the words Tina Turner sings;
ReplyDelete"I'M SIMPLY THE BEST" on full blast...and even if you don't believe it - it's still a great song!
My voice is telling the others to shut up.
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Elana. I love it. I am the VOICE. I am trying to wipe that awful "c" word from my vocabulary ("can't" just doesn't exist).
ReplyDeleteI will say that I WILL send Laura my newly revised first 3 chapters and I will NOT panic that she will hate them. (Though I probably will still bite my nails.)
ReplyDeleteOkay, I have an email to send my agent. *gulp*
Who doesn't struggle with self-doubt?? Thank you for this affirmation.
ReplyDeleteI will say that you are made of awesome and if I become a tenth of the person you are, I'll call it good:)
ReplyDeleteI love, love, LOVE that speech! I have chills :)
ReplyDeleteself-confidence can be a problem for me - but I'm working on it!!
I've never heard that before. Hmmm, I have a feeling my Voice is going to say, "Go to Bed, Jessie". LOL
ReplyDeleteGood stuff though. I get what you mean. ;-)
Good reminder, thanks. I think mine is saying "You can do this Karen Lynne". Okay, so it also would be my Mom telling me this too. She'd also tell me that I look tired and should take a nap.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteYes! Great post! I need the inspiration sometimes. Hmm. Many times, in this slow path to publication. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThis is fantastic. I may print it out.
ReplyDeleteI say: "Live! Write!" And I say "shut up" to the bad voices. ;)
ReplyDeleteGreat mantra. Important to set a positive intention every day, no matter how you say it. :-D
ReplyDeleteYour voice + your vision = value to your audience!
ReplyDeleteNo matter what crap is behind us or ahead of us, We Writers rock! The end.
ReplyDeleteInspiring topic, Elana.
ReplyDeleteMy mantra for this week is: I have read worse, it is worth posting. ;0
wonderful post and something we all deal with from time to time!
ReplyDeleteI've heard so many of those self-defeating voices these past few weeks, and these lines are perfect. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI will say, Yes, I can, because I am beautifully and wonderfully made.
ReplyDeleteI needed to read this. I have to much on my plate and the thing I really want to do is being held back by these thoughts. Some sleep, sunshine, and being reminded of this, and maybe I'll snap out of it.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great post. So, so true. I need to hear that encouragement!
ReplyDeleteI say you have spoken to my inner critic most sensibly and articulately. I needed to hear those words. I will definitely be printing this out and reading it often.
ReplyDeleteThank you, thank you, thank you!