The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug. **Mark Twain

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Don't listen to the voices!

Recovery time and being confined to bed provides a lot of time to think.  Sometimes that's good....but sometimes those voices seem to swirl around me.

I'm not crazy.  Well....at least not clinically.  We all hear voices from time to time.  Those thoughts that highlight the slightly untruths until beads of perspiration dance across our forehead and our stomach is invaded with little men in pointy hats and spike shoes. 

"What makes you think you can write?"
"No one reads your stuff."
"You haven't sold in a while because you aren't good."
"You'll never make it, why don't you get a real job?"
"Wait till that new article comes out and then everyone will know for sure that you aren't a writer."

I was suffering through one of those times last night and instead of crying I grabbed my iPod.  I listened to Debbie Maycomber's lectures from Mt. Hermon 2008.  She began by telling everyone her writing story.  She's dyslexic, had financial troubles along the way and is a very creative speller. 

Her lecture ended with the plea to not listen to the voices.  "If I had listened to all those voices that said:
Debbie's such a nice little girl but she'll never amount to anything.
Throw that manuscript away, it can't be fixed.
You'll never be a real writer......I wouldn't have had the great life that writing has provided!"

If she had listened to all those voices she wouldn't have kept trying and she would have missed the pleasure of being on every best seller list, of selling over a million copies of the book that an editor said to throw away, and the joy of knowing that she IS a great writer.

Don't listen to the voices!  Instead, shake them off.  Go for a walk (wish I could).  Listen to an inspiring talk or read an inspiring message. 

Now get busy and be all that God has called you to be!

God loves you and has called you to write!

Debbie

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Thanks, Debbie. You're a great motivator!