Guest Post: Be by Liz Finch

Guest Blogger Liz Finch

I’ve been trying to write this article for hours now. Every time I get part of it done, I hit the delete button and start over.

To be honest, I don’t know much about writing. I can honestly say that everything I’ve learned I’ve taught myself.

Here’s what I do know: 

Be Passionate. Passion will fuel your writing and help you take it to new heights. Passion will be the thing that keeps you writing when no one believes in your work except for you. Passion will chain you to your writing desk.

Be Real. Your readers will know when you are not being honest with them. Tell them your weaknesses, your fears, your hopes, your dreams. When you open up to your readers, they will open up to you.

Be Committed. Athletes work out every day, why should writers be any different? Constant practice is what will separate the mediocre author from the great author.

Be Angry. What is keeping you from writing the next break out novel? Who is holding you back? Get angry about these negative influences in your life and then cut them out. Life is too short to be a willing hostage to those who wish to hold you back.

Be Open. Sometimes people will have feedback for you that you don’t like. But it’s important to be open to all kinds of feedback, remember, they are your audience.

Be-lieve. Believe in yourself, your powers, your ability. Believe in your book, your article, your short story. Believe that you have the power to change lives with your writing.

Be Courageous. People are not always going to like what you write. That’s okay. Just remember to keep standing up for what you believe you.

So remember these short truths, and you are well on your way to becoming the next big thing!

Cheers!

L Finch

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About Liz

Liz wrote her first novel at the age of 13, her adaptation of "The Hobbit" as a play was sold at age 16, second novel was drafted at 21. She is currently working on her third novel.

Be sure to follow her blog at Novelist Liz !

Just another reason...

With so many people being unemployed and unable to find a job right now the thought of being laid off is scary. And it's a real and valid fear. Even going to college doesn't guarantee you anything these days. I have been working at the company I'm with for 5 years now, and I have slowly crawled up the ladder a little bit. I don't want to go any further position-wise here because well....this isn't what I want to do with my life. It's what I am doing to pay bills while I go to school.

Some days I am not crazy about my job, but I don't hate it. It's a decent paying job and my coworkers are some really great people. Also, they are fine with me taking classes while working here and switching my schedule around to work with school...who could ask for more?

Now, before I get into where I am going with this, let me explain that we have several different accounts within the one company I work for. I was on one that was paying for my position but that account ended. So I was transferring to a different account. Well, thanks to someone dropping the ball, or simply thinking this issue would work itself out, I currently don't have a position. I'm in a type of purgatory...not yet laid off, but not necessarily secure in a job. I got sent home 3 hours early yesterday because my boss said, "we don't have anyone we can bill you to, you need to go home while we try and resolve this."

Granted they are working on a resolution, trying to find a spot for me, but this feeling it gave me sucked. Being at a company with such a high attrition rate, you would think they would really value those of us that have stuck it out, and really put into the company. Yesterday felt like a slap in the face. Someone forgot, someone ignored an issue that directly affected me without even making me aware of the situation until it got to the point of sending me home for an undetermined amount of time.

Just another reason I need to push myself ahead with my writing...just another reason I need to push myself through school. You can't rely on others to secure your own future, sometimes you have to go out there and grab you future all on your own.

This is a call to action.

Critiques & Improvements

I finally got up the nerve to join a writing group. I got my first critique today and I have to say it was helpful and really insightful. Some of the things I was told, I had sort of been aware of but all in all it was nice to get an unbiased opinion on my writing and to hear it wasn't completely horrible. Though, as a writer I think we usually have some level of confidence in our abilities, otherwise we would never try.

I just purchased "How Not to Write A Novel" so that I can read it on my kindle. I have heard so many good reviews about this book so I thought I'd give it a shot. I will probably post some of my thoughts and comments from it on here.

Speaking of writing tips, there are tons of great writing blogs that I have been lucky enough to find. In the list of blogs I follow you should definitely browse through some of them.  One of my particular favorites has to be Jodie Renner's blog. She is an editor and a retired teacher. She has great advice and tips on her blog.

I don't have much to say today, I have been a little bit under the weather this week, so you may not hear from me til Episode One of  Tales In Midtown. I can promise this first episode should fun....twisted fun.

-Rayvenne

How about that novel you are writing?

Not much to say today...just thought I would share this for my fellow writers :)

See you tomorrow!