photo: canva
graphic: Martha G. Brady
Today is the 6th in the series at Kate Motaung’s blog titled On Being a Writer by Anne Kroeker and Charity Singleton Craig. The book is also available at the website. This is week three. She has links to all this information and earlier posts on her site. Here are the links to my earlier posts: Identify, Arrange, Surround, Notice, Write.
Every writer wants to inflame the hearts and minds of his readers.
Every writer attempts to reach across the great abyss,
also known as the space between people,
with his words.
~Betsy Lerner
Wow! This is where the rubber meets the road, isn’t it? I can write all I want. It is safe and secure. But I need moxie too…or guts or chutzpah to get to the next level of sending it. Risk is always involved in sending out my words.
I can write all I want. It is safe and secure. But I need moxie too...to get them sent. Share on XI still remember how hard it was to tell someone I knew that I had started writing a blog! I felt it viscerally…my stomach tightened, my innards queased.
Time to move out of the comfort zone again?
And now I’m thinking I need to move out of my comfort zone once again! Sending my words to people who may or may not know what makes a good writer is one thing. Sending my words to a real live editor? Now that is truly scary.
I recently read that is the true test of a writer…a person who has been through the editing process and passed at least once. I think that may define a professional writer. But I digress.
I need to move out of my comfort zone once again. Send something to a real live editor? Now that is truly scary. Share on XYes, I have sent things to other bloggers for guest posts…sometimes they were requested, other times not. But when you work for free, it’s not difficult to get a job! These aren’t sites that edit my work or decide whether they will choose my article from hundreds of offerings.
Maybe it is time to send to a site in the latter category. Or even try to find a place that would pay for my writing? Now that is a novel idea! The standards will be considerably higher for sure! What if I don’t measure up? Talk about fear in my gut!
Growth seems to require cliff-jumping and comfort zone-moving all the time!
Just what I need, another opportunity to jump off a cliff! It seems like life is full of risk if I want to grow, isn’t it? I can’t just sit in my comfortable cocoon, write my blog and eat bon-bons, can I?
...another opportunity to jump off a cliff! It seems like life is full of them if I want to grow isn't it? Share on XI need to step out of my comfort zone once again. I am pushed by the need for income to support my blogging habit at least.
But I also want to expand my writing ability ability and influence so I can reach across the great abyss, the one between people, that seems to be getting wider and wider with each passing day!
I see that I could grow with the use of an editor to see my work. I know I need one if I will ever advance. Growth can be agonizing can’t it? Criticism, no matter how constructive, isn’t fun, but it grows us if we listen and put it into action.
And so, my written pages are sitting there speaking to me, “Send me.” Wisdom will need to help me know where to send them.
Risk tells me to get them in shape to be looked at by the right people and not wait for someone to come to me…something that will never happen!
My written pages are sitting there speaking to me, Send me. Wisdom will need to help me know where to send them. Share on X
Loved your post, Martha, such a lot to think about. Thank you. Helen
thanks so much helen. i appreciate it so much.
I always encourage people to go for it. Take the risk. But I have not tried getting out of my comfort zone to go to an editor, and I’ve never accepted the ones that came to me. Its easier to cheer others.
Thank you for sharing this post.
This is what I want too, ”I need to step out of my comfort zone once again. I am pushed by the need for income to support my blogging habit at least.
But I also want to expand my writing ability ability and influence so I can reach across the great abyss, the one between people, that seems to be getting wider and wider with each passing day!”
I’ll start planning on when to make the move.
Thank you Ma for stopping by my blog last week. I really appreciate your comment.
thanks so much for stopping by grace:) have you been to kate motaung’s blog and seen the video’s about this book? it’s not difficult to read and the writers who are linking are also fun to read. you should join us:) at kate’s page are some helpful links of places to actually send manuscripts to. i now have no more excuses to not “send.”
i just loved that quote! isn’t it beautiful? so we’ll each take new steps forward in order to inflame or encourage those around us. keep plugging on sister:)
It is a risk but, as you say, it’s when we step out of our comfort zone that we grow. And I think it’s always going to feel scary until you take that first step. I’m cheering you on too!
yes, i’m going to get moving very soon. right now i’m working on my 31 day series. it will be very soon. i’m very glad to have that list to work off of. glad you came by carly:)
Martha, go for it! (I should say those words to myself too sometimes!) Great minds think alike. That Betsy Lerner quote caught my eye too and I made a graphic with it on my blog too. Let’s keep cheering each other on!
absolutely tara:) i find it much easier to cheer others on than i do myself! i saw that you went to seminary in dubuque, IA. my husband didn’t go to seminary there but he did finish up his degree there at dubuque university. he went to moody bible institute in chicago. then to DU to get his degree…a long time ago! the late 1950’s…long before i met him:) then he finished his schooling in chicago. i’m from south FL where he went to his first church:)