Writing from the Heart

I’ve learned a lot about being a writer over the years, but there’s one lesson I have to reconfirm, over and over. That’s because this lesson requires courage.

Recently, I posted on my other blog about sensing my late husband around me. I wavered for days about posting this because, frankly, it was very intimate and that’s scary. I was writing from the heart – laying it all out there – and rejection of that would have hurt.

As usual in these cases, the reaction has been overwhelmingly positive. Others have shared their own experiences of feeling the presence of someone who has passed on. I can’t tell you what great joy that gave me. But again, I had to be reminded of the truth: when you write from your heart it will always turn out okay, even what’s bad is good.

I’ve read some authors that were truly tough to read but their work was redeemable because I could find truth within and truth is treasure. Writing from the heart results in your truth being revealed.

Again, rejection is what makes it so tough to do. You have just bared your soul to your readers. What if they reject you? Every man jack of us is afraid of that, no matter how tough an exterior we project to the world. But here is the reward – if you can bear to expose yourself you will ultimately create something good.

When I began writing Red Mojo Mama I was afraid of being too fluffy. What would people think? Would they realize I know that this is just a fun read? Would they judge me as a lightweight? Then one day, while I was laughing out loud at what I was putting on the page, the dam burst and I thought “What the hell! I’m having fun. This feels good. This is what writing is all about.” And I gave up my fear and wrote. God, it was fun.

So, if I could pass on just one tip about writing it would be this - get past your fear and write from your heart. It will pay you (and your readers) dividends in the end.