Clarity of Vision

Between revamping my website, moving my blog over to WordPress (pardon the scaffolding, folks, it’s a work in progress), being at the ready for the launch of LitReactor, where I’m now a columnist and instructor, and taking on some new writers, I needed a moment to really reflect on this month’s focus – Clarity.

Then yesterday the brilliant creator and visionary behind Apple and Pixar, Steve Jobs died. Of course I found out via Twitter and of course I had to open a few links that would deliver his words of wisdom and brilliance about the virtues of being a fearless creative pioneer. I’m glad I did, although I’m saddened it took his passing to lead me toward his direction.

In his Stanford Commencement Address, Jobs inspires the graduates (and the millions who view the You Tube video) to have faith in their actions, whether right or wrong, they lead you toward your future.  And by actions, he means doing something you are passionate about, something you love – inspired action. You’ll have successes, you’ll have failures, and you’ll do things that seem benign – like taking a course in Calligraphy. All these things we do lead us to the next thing and the next until one day we see a trail of connected dots behind us, like bread crumbs. While it’s not clear to us at the time we’re leaving this trail, one day we’ll look back and say, “Oh yeah. I see, now.”

The key, writers, is to not simply trod mechanically from one thing to the next but to fully engage your passion for whatever it is – in this context, writing – into your daily life. Do what you love and have faith that it will be fruitful for you down the road, but be wise. Surround yourself with the right people who will cheer you on and help fortify your gift. Use the tools that are out there to help you better your craft, but most of all, listen to your gut – it will always direct you toward the right path in the end.

This all sounds terribly romantic, but it’s not, really; it’s good old common sense. When your head is clear about what you want, when your heart is set to follow that course, there’s no stopping you.

That’s clarity.

TLC

Five Tips for Gaining Confidence in Your Writing - A blogshop with author Wendy Nelson Tokunaga

We're wrapping up our month on Confidence in a writer's life this week and I've been thinking about the source of confidence all month - we all would like a little more of it at those critical times when it's most needed, yes? Confidence is our gut's way of telling us, "you got it in the bag, my friend!" But so often, when our gut isn't telling us that, we look for positive reinforcement from others - and this is natural. However, there is a difference between a superficial confidence that comes from a few pats on the back than Confidence (with a capital C!) that springs from a solid and continuing education about the process and craft to which you have dedicated yourself.

Author Wendy Nelson Tokunaga is here to share with you 5 rock-solid Confidence gaining tips to instill confidence in your writing career. No. You know, tips is too light a word - consider this list your 5 MUST-DOs to building a strong writing foundation. Read and heed.

WNT: It wasn’t until my fifth manuscript that I finally got an agent and a two-book deal with St. Martin’s Press. For years my hobbies seemed to be honing my craft and getting rejected. Here are some things I learned along the way that kept my confidence up in the face of rejection and allowed me to eventually reach my goals as a novelist.

1 ~ Have Your Manuscript Critiqued – One of my first steps was to join a critique group—a tremendous help. But eventually I needed the fresh eyes of a professional who could read my entire manuscript and tell me not only its strengths, but its weaknesses and what I could do to fix them. I sought advice from published novelists who offered manuscript consulting, but you can also look to professional developmental editors.

2 ~ Network With, but Don’t Compare Yourself to Other Writers – I put together a group of women writers I met online who lived nearby. We gathered together not to read each other’s work, but to discuss the business of writing and our latest struggles in trying to get published and beyond. At first it was difficult because most everyone had an agent except me. But instead of comparing myself to them and feeling sorry for myself I tried to learn everything I could from them. Realize that every writer’s path is different and you’ll feel better about your own journey.

3 ~ Attend Juried Writer’s Conferences – There are tons of writer’s conferences out there and they all have their purposes. But to gain more confidence try applying to one where you must be accepted on the basis of your writing. I applied to the Squaw Valley Writers Conference, but didn’t get in on the first try. But it gave my confidence a real boost when I was finally accepted. It was such a great experience that I returned the following year.

4 ~ Further Your Education – My first stab at creative writing was a short story writing class at a community college. The assignment was to write three stories in a semester. It sounded daunting but I felt accomplished to actually pull that off. I continued taking classes from university extension programs and private author workshops and then finally made the leap to an MFA in writing program. By then I’d been through hundreds of rejections for my novels. I knew that getting an MFA wouldn’t guarantee that I’d get published, but it was a thrill to be able to concentrate on my writing for two years. And, coincidentally, it was right after I started the program that I got my agent and my publishing contract.

5 ~ Write Another Book – You’ve written one book so now you know that you can do it. So why not write another? Putting a book on the back burner after rejection doesn’t mean you’re giving up on it or that you’ve failed. Move forward, build your confidence and write that next book!

About the Contributor:

Wendy Nelson Tokunaga is the author of the novels, “Love in Translation” and “Midori by Moonlight,” both published by St. Martin’s Press, and the non-fiction e-book, “Marriage in Translation: Foreign Wife, Japanese Husband.” Her novel, “No Kidding,” won the Literary/Mainstream Fiction category in Writer’s Digest’s Best Self-Published Book Awards in 2002. She is also the author of two children's non-fiction books, and has had short stories published in various literary journals. Wendy holds an MFA in Creative Writing from University of San Francisco and teaches writing classes for Stanford University’s Online Writer’s Studio and University of San Francisco. She also offers private manuscript consultation services. Visit her at: http://www.WendyTokunaga.com

Passion and Other Circumstances

"It is a fact often observed, that men have written good verses under the inspiration of passion, who cannot write well under other circumstances."

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Don't you love that sweet spot of time when it's just you and the page? When just the right words are flowing, your pacing couldn't be more perfect, your characters never more alluring. You look up and notice an hour or three have passed and there in front of you is your passion manifested in black and white, something tangible. You wonder where the time went, you feel alive, maybe even a bit touched by the Muse, and dare I say, a little bit proud of yourself (good!).

But, the getting there - that's another business altogether.

We have obligations and "other circumstances," as Emerson put it. And these things take up valuable real estate on the creative mind. These things look like your job, your children and all their activities, your bills, your health, your education, a social life, sometimes your parents or others you look after, your pets. And as I've said before, these are all important obligations to mind (the non-negotiables)...but it's difficult to make the switch from the productive, responsible human being to the creative genius you're capable of being. Who's ready to search for that elusive writing sweet spot after a full day of exhausting work and other challenges? Writing yourself into that magic groove is...work! You do usually get there and remember all over again why you've been listening to your gut, heart and brain all this time about this writing thing but it wasn't without a fight.

What's your passion for writing worth?

Aside from all those obligations you really do have to tend to...the stuff that keeps you and your family alive, fed, clothed, warm, healthy and thriving...what do you need? Do you need to say "Yes, I can" every time someone outside your family circle asks for your time or could you choose the activities you're willing to put your energy into a little more selectively? Do you need to watch TV every night or could you swap out five hours of TV time for reading or writing time? Do you need to spend hours a week on all your various social media channels letting people know what you're eating, where and with whom or could you manage to use that time connecting with those around you; finding inspiration from a conversation a table down from you at a coffee shop, overheard in a thrift store or with a child?

You always have a choice of where and how you spend your time and your choices place a value on your passion for writing.

It's nearly impossible to write all the time unless you're independently wealthy (or are making a good living on your books) and have very little to no family around - and even for those who have few obligations, most can't sit to write for longer than 5 hours at a stretch. But for those of us with very busy lives, it is possible to inspire our writer's mind by paying attention to all the creative energy going on around us. Writing doesn't just take place on the page, it happens when we look at old pictures, listen to music, watch a lightning storm, take a road trip. It happens when our brains are at work, which is all the time!

Take charge of your "other circumstances" so that when it's time to connect your perspective to the page, your passion for your craft is that much easier to access.

Here's to your "good verses!"

TLC

Action: When your preparing yourself for writing, what gets you in the mood? Do you listen to music? Do you have a routine of things you must do before you sit to write? Run a few miles? Feel free to share your inspiration. Lately, I have been almost obsessively listening to Ralph Vaughan Williams. Works every time for me. Your turn!