Running Towards Fear by Gloria Guest

I have run smack, head on into the obstacle called fear many times in my life and I have to admit that a lot of those times I chose flight over fight. It has been no different when it has come to writing. Fear has been a barrier to me in my writing ever since I first realized that I had the ability because with that ability, came the realization that other people could read what I wrote and criticize or judge me. In my years working as a reporter I dealt with it on a daily basis and did learn to take a deep breath and get it done. However, in my own personal writing the fear has been harder to get over.

Team Work

When I think about how to deal with that fear I think about an obstacle course that my son participated in when he was going through training at the Royal Military College in Kingston, Ontario. Each trooper was placed on a team that trained for weeks in preparation for the competition. The course was gruelling with many challenging, timed obstacles. However the pièce de résistance was the twelve foot wall that the troops had to climb over without the use of a rope. There is even a sculpture on the grounds of the College dedicated to this obstacle entitled, ‘to overcome.’ My son’s troop practiced this particular obstacle diligently.

Pulling the last man up and over!

On the day of the event my husband and I followed our son’s team around the course, cheering them on. Finally they came to the Wall. I stared at its formidable height not sure that they were up for the challenge. I was about to be amazed.  The first two troopers climbed up on others shoulders and hoisted themselves atop the wall. Then they leaned down and gave a hand up to the next ones climbing up off of other’s shoulders. The last person had to take a mighty run, jump at the wall and grab onto a hand offered by someone who was himself hanging onto another. It was quite the feat but within a short time they were over. Their team didn't win the obstacle course, but they were proclaimed the fastest troop over the wall! They were true over-comers and it was all due to practice and diligence.

In military training they are taught to run towards fear; to choose to run towards the very obstacle standing in the path between them and victory. And the only way that lesson is learnt is through repetitive training and discipline.

There are so many analogies from that obstacle course that can be applied to my own fears when I write. I face obstacles. I want to get over them and be victorious whether it’s posting a blog or publishing an article or book. I can only do so with diligence and repetitive training. And sometimes, as in the case of the wall, it takes team work and a hand up. It could be from an editor, a mentor or friend.

Ultimately though, it is the hand of God that reaches down from that obstacle and offers me His hand. He encourages me to run towards my fear and take a leap of faith that He will be there for me.

I will overcome.

Breathe by Glynis M. Belec

I never counted them but I am thinking that there are hundreds of verses in the Good Book on [not] being fearful. Some of my favourites include:

·         

     Isaiah 41:10 Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

·      Philippians 4:6-7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

·         Psalm 56:3 When I am afraid, I will trust in you.

·         2 Timothy 1:7 For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

·         1 Peter 5:7 Cast all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

·         1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with    punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.

·         Joshua 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

·         Isaiah 35:4 Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.”

·         John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

·         Proverbs 12:25 Anxiety in a man's heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad.

     So how’s that for a God Pep talk? I always feel better after reading some of these verses. I might have been a published writer for over 28 years, but I will admit that there are still times when I doubt myself, question my abilities as a writer, or just plain fear sending ‘stuff’ out to the great editorial world fearful that I might be rejected.

     My love language is Words of Affirmation so is it any wonder that when I get rejected with words I am devastated? [Writer, have you ever taken this test? http://www.5lovelanguages.com/profile/ I often wonder if most writers have Words of Affirmation as their love language.]

     I digress. . .

Probably one of the biggest encouragements I received as a fledgling writer was being reminded about and then realizing that when I got a rejection it wasn’t me, personally, who was being rejected – it was the manuscript.  Sweet relief when I discovered that. Editors have different tastes so just because they might not like what I have written doesn’t mean that another one will feel the same. 

That felt good to hear that a few times over and over in my early writing career. Before that revelation, after receiving a rejection slip, I would fall into despair declaring to myself that I really should get out of the business of writing and who did I think I was thinking that someone might be interested in reading something I wrote? The rejection slip meant that I must be writing drivel; and the audacity of me thinking that someone would pay me for writing such twaddle was laughable. Hah! 

But somehow I got through it. And here I am many moons later still clicking the keyboard. Having over a thousand  columns and articles later and plenty of books under my belt indicates that it was good I am a tad on the stubborn side. After a few writerly tantrums and moments of quiet where I let God whisper louder than those other nasty inner voices, I realized that if I succumbed to that negativity then my dreams and aspirations would be compromised and my passion to write extinguished. Like I said, I am far too stubborn to let that happen!

You would think that I have developed broad shoulders and now, so many years later, a rejection doesn’t really fizz on me. I can just brush it off. I hate to admit it – but it t’aint necessarily so! If [when] I get a rejection letter now, I still hear those crazy voices. They whisper that same old reminder of what a terrible writer I am and how I am so unworthy and ridiculous for even sending my article off. Blah, blah, blah. Then God reminds me.

 Last month I had the privilege of sharing some insights about being a writer. I spoke a fair bit about rejection and how many famous manuscripts were rejected. And if it makes you feel any better, I will share some.

•            Harry Potter – JK Rowlings rejected  7  times
•            Beatrix Potter – Peter Rabbit – rejected 7 times - sold 150 million copies
•            The Help – Kathrynn Stockett – rejected 60 times
•            Chicken Soup – first title - Chicken Soup for the Soul by Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen: rejected by 123 publishers and were told that their book had a stupid title, had no sex or violence, and no one would read it.
•            The Shack by William P. Young: Publishers either found this book too Christian or not Christian  enough. So 15 photocopied editions led to a self-publishing company and eventually 15 million copies sold.
•           Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell: 40 rejections - grossed more than $1 million and won a Pulitzer in its first year
•       Ann Frank, Moby Dick, Life of Pi, To Kill; a Mockingbird – they were all rejected many times.

So the lesson here is that when the rejection slips come in, don’t forget to inhale, breathe deeply, check out one of the above scriptures, reread your piece and if you are still in love with it, then send it out one more time. I heard a long time ago that as writers we should be more joyful and grateful when we get a rejection slip. At least it means we are trying!

Overcoming Common Fears by Steph Beth Nickel

 

PRISTINE PAGES

Have you ever gotten a new journal? It’s beautiful, just awaiting all your wondrous new ideas. But wait! It’s lovely but so . . . so . . . perfect as it is. What if your ideas fall flat? What if your writing isn’t up to par. What if your chicken scratch mars those inviting pages with nothing more than scribbles?

One of the last gifts my dad gave me was a leather bound journal. I actually took it to my writers’ group. I wanted someone else to be the first to write in it. It seemed too magnificent for anything but a perfectly formed idea—or someone else’s initial entry. But no, I took a deep breath and began to write. That early draft for a novel is still forming in my mind—not so much in the journal these days.

That’s what we all have to do: put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard and get started. Sometimes that’s the hardest part.

THE BLINKING CURSOR

In the same vein, that blinking cursor torments us as we look at the computer screen.

What should I write next? Will it be any good? Will anyone want to read it?

Recently I read about the connection between mind and hand. I always preferred to write first drafts, even prayer journals, on computer. And then I started something Julia Cameron calls “morning pages.” I have often journaled by hand and am now writing these pages using my favourite pens (Sarasas gel pens). There really is a difference.

If that blinking cursor is giving you grief, try picking up a pen and paper and seeing what happens.

LACK OF KNOWLEDGE

Oft-published professional writer or wet-behind-the-ears newbie? It doesn’t matter. We all have more to learn . . . and that’s okay.

We can only apply what we already know. And if we wait to know everything . . . well, that’s not going to happen and we’re not going to write anything.

Write and learn; learn and write; repeat.

INEXPERIENCE

I have a dear friend who has often been approached and asked if she could do such and such. She may not have had previous experience, but she—like us—has access to the World Wide Web. She researched. She added to her knowledge. And she jumped in with both feet. Now she teaches others what she has learned along the way.

At some point, each writer is inexperienced. The only way to gain the experience is to forge ahead. No writing endeavour is a waste . . . as long as we learn from it.

Keep writing. Soon you’ll be able to say, “Yes, I do have experience in that area.”

REJECTION, REJECTION, AND MORE REJECTION

Thick skin. Tender heart. I believe those two qualities must mark us as writers.

Many moonbeams ago I stapled and rolled all my rejection letters together. I took the roll to church to use as an object lesson for the children. I unrolled it and explained that all those pieces of paper were evidence that I was doing what so many people are afraid to do, pursuing a dream.

Can you see your next rejection letter that way?

And if you get one of those wonderful things known as a personal rejection letter, will you learn from the comments, polish your work, and send it out again?

Let’s overcome fear together.

http://stephbethnickel.com

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