The Writer Behind the Words (9 page)

A creative flood is when you start many projects that overwhelm you. This is another example of fear. Having too much to do can paralyze you. Too many story ideas may cause you never to finish one.

Creative flood or overproduction can be another word for perfectionism. Being busy is important and so is creativity, but when it stops you, it’s a burden. When working on one idea, it’s okay for you to jot down another that comes to mind, but don’t abandon one project for another unless it is a calculated move.

Steps to Overcoming the Creative Flood

• Recognize when it happens so you can act accordingly. Creative floods can cause writing “burn out” so monitor how you’re feeling.
  
 

• Always carry a notebook with you to jot down ideas.
  
 

• Create small steps. It is possible to learn three languages, paint, play an instrument, write three poems, two letters and a novel but not in one day. Make each step manageable.
  
 

• If you have many things that you wish to accomplish in one day, create a loose schedule. It can mimic the ones you had in school. Say 7:30 music, 8:00 poetry.
  
 

• Run, jump rope, dance. Exercise can use up the extra energy you have and may help you to think clearly.
  
 

• Select a friend to help you come up with a strategy so you won’t become overwhelmed. Or create an SOS signal when you are close to experiencing a flood.
  
 

• Take five minute breaks. Do something toward your goal in five minute increments. Paint some, write some, or organize some, all in five minute segments.
  
 

Also remember that there are times when you will need to keep still to hear your inner voice tell you what steps you need to take next.

W
e all work towards success, yet most people don’t know how to handle the onslaught of good fortune when it comes. The sudden adulation, money, and status can become another stress for which one may be unprepared.

Suddenly, you’re no longer a person writing in solitude, you’re besieged by a public that feels that they now own you. You will be subject to criticisms, spoofs, and gossip. People will demand more work, time and energy from you. If you’re not careful, you may burn out. So you need to be aware of the hazards of success:

• Lost time. People will want you. They will request that you give speeches, interviews, and workshops. They will ask that you participate in fundraisers, judge contests or teach.
  
 

• Your phone will start ringing with a regularity you never thought possible.
  
 

• If you reach a bestseller list, you will be pressured to stay on the list or hit a higher slot.
  
 

• Your objectivity could change. Some writers who reach success start to believe their press and soon they become crazy with the belief that they are the “next best thing” and turn into a giant ego.
  
 

• Your core values may be influenced. Thought you’d never become a diva? When you have people hanging on your every word and have loads of disposable income it may be easy to arrive late to dinners or talk about yourself at every occasion.
  
 

• Friends or family members may become jealous of you.
  
 

• Family members or friends may accuse you of using them as characters in your work.
  
 

• Other writers may accuse you of stealing their ideas.
  
 

• You may have to travel to twenty-one cities in two weeks.
  
 

But you don’t have to be a victim of success. All you need to do is learn to manage it in whatever form it comes to you.

Ways to Handle Success

• Take a break and reflect. It’s okay to go on a vacation right after a book makes a big splash or after an article causes a huge controversy.
  
 

• Know your allies. You will likely lose some friends who will be envious of your success, but treasure those who stick by you and be aware that you will make new ones.
  
 

• Remember your mission statement. It is easy to get caught up in what others believe is “being a success.” Whether that is partying, traveling, interviewing or the like.
  
 

• Mind your tongue. Don’t put down those who haven’t reached your level. It always amazes me how many published authors become snobs against the unpublished.
  
 

• Get an unlisted number. If too many people are calling you, don’t be readily available.
  
 

• Learn to say “no.” Many people will want your time, and initially you will want to please them all. You can’t, so don’t try.
  
 

• Hire help. Get someone to handle your correspondence or someone to help you with household chores. Hire an assistant to help you with the details.
  
 

• Meet others in the field to talk about strategies and tactics for handling success.
  
 

• Get a good, trustworthy and reputable business manager.Many writers are not good business people and lose money quickly. Unless you have a trusted friend or family member who is good in business, do your research and hire someone who can help you with taxes, contracts, and other business and financial matters. You don’t want the government or a lawsuit at your door.
  
 

Your success may take time away from your family. In that instance, have a discussion with them so that everyone can learn to adjust to your newfound popularity.

Remember that success is not a destination; so be gracious when you pass it by. You’ll always want more. One bestseller will lead to the desire for a second bestseller. One huge check will create the desire for a larger check. Keep your goals and mission in order. Don’t let the thrill of success become a drug.

Y
ou can’t survive the creative life alone. You need a person or group to help you get through the rough patches. Successful writers use agents to help guide their careers, are part of a writing or critique group, belong to an organization(s) or rely on a family member for support. Oprah has a production team; Stephen King has his wife. Who can you turn to when times are tough? Try to build your support network.

• Find a mentor. A mentor doesn’t necessarily have to be in the writing field. Find someone who is living her dream and is willing to listen to you and can offer you advice and encouragement.
  
 

• Join a group. Local or national. Become part of a writing group online or offline. Be around other writers who are happy being writers (it’s easy to slip into groups that just complain about the writing industry, and that’s not good for you).
  
 

• Volunteer with a writing organization. This will help you to get out and about. Far too many writers isolate themselves.
  
 

• Share. Tell a trusted friend or family member about your intention.
  
 

• Get inspiration. Get the life stories of three people you admire (whether it is a book, movie or audio) and make them available whenever you feel down.
  
 

• Attend writing courses or conferences. It helps to be around people of like minds.
  
 

Focus Your Revenge

Those of you who believe in forgiving people who have mistreated you, please skip this suggestion. You won’t need it. For those of you with a little wickedness, please consider the following:

Think of someone who mocked you, a bully in school who shoved you into lockers or a girl who always made fun of your clothes, a boss who wouldn’t get off your back, an ex who said you’d never amount to anything, or a parent or teacher who belittled you. Put that person(s) firmly in your mind then write to show them how wrong they were (are). Develop your career so that it can become an eloquent F — you.

It’s okay to write out of vengeance. Sometimes you won’t find a community or buddy that suits you. Use this as your support instead. It is okay to follow your dreams just to prove all your naysayers wrong. Become a big success; that is the best revenge.

S
elf-care is critical for resilience. The world will not come to an end if you don’t write for a few days, or format a manuscript incorrectly, or realize your 400-page novel is a pile of garbage. There will be days or moments when you won’t feel like doing anything. You’ll want to curl up in your bed and hide from the world. That’s fine, you’re still a writer. It’s not whether you stop writing; it’s for how long.

A couple of days is okay, but a couple of months or years? Well, then something else is going on and you need to face it.

• Remember to exercise. It helps the blood to pump and your body will be better able to fight off disease and the effects of disappointment. It also helps keep your brain healthy.
  
 

• Eat fruits and vegetables. The right diet can help you maintain energy and overall good health. The foods below can help fight fatigue, improve the appearance of your skin and help with stamina. Carbohydrates (protein, dairy and fruits and vegetables) are great energy boosters. Consider eating:
  Fruit yogurt
  Toast with beans, cheese, or peanut butter
  Fruit salad
  Fruit juices or smoothies
  Dried fruit (dried apricots are a great source of fiber and iron which prevents tiredness)
  Bananas
  Nuts
  
 

Be creative. Grab a cookbook of power foods and incorporate them into your diet.

• Refill the well. Don’t forget that it is your job to be in touch with art. Visit museums, theaters, sports events, movies, restaurants or whatever gives you joy. Remember to be alive. You can’t write about life if you can’t live it fully. Watch a cartoon, a funny movie, read the comics have a good laugh.
  Read.
  Many writers stop reading for some reason. Some say they don’t have time, others that they don’t want to know what “the competition” is up to. Read. Fill the well. Applaud a good story or well written article. They are not your competitors, they are your sisters and brothers and teachers and friends. Learn to safely love another’s work without putting your own work down. You’re not a good judge anyway. Enjoy the pleasure of someone celebrating life.
  

  If you stuff yourself full of poems, essays, plays, stories, novels, films, comic strips, magazines, music, you automatically explode every morning like Old Faithful. I have never had a dry spell in my life, mainly because I feed myself well, to the point of bursting. RAY BRADBURY

 

• Prepare for success. At some time each day give yourself a pep talk. Many successful people have a mantra or affirmation that they repeat to themselves. Some salespeople give themselves talks to get the courage they need to sell their products. Start your day with this statement or a variation:
  

  “I’m a talented author with many readers eager for my stories or articles. I am an asset to my publishing company (magazine, client) and make more money than I could ever need. I have all the skills I need to succeed at my goal.”

 

This exercise helps to trick your mind so you’ll face the day with eagerness and confidence.

• Create a safe haven. It is important that you create a safe haven, a place where you can retreat and be your authentic self. A place where all the labels (mother, sister, husband, dad, dentist, Asian, HIV positive) are erased and you are who you truly are. This safe haven needs to be a place where you can play peaceful music or hard rock; a place to rant, rave, or cry. A place totally yours for however long you want it. It doesn’t need to be a sacred place. It can be your bathroom. You can turn it into a safe haven by lighting candles or wearing a certain robe. It can be your closet, your car, or a special location in a park. Any place where you can have a moment of time to get in touch with your feelings. If you need to, save some money and go to a hotel/motel once in a while for a night or two of peace.
  
 

• Remember that everything has a season. In your career, you will have a winter season when nothing seems to grow, and the land is barren and cold. You’ll look at someone in her bright, fruitful spring season and feel your career is over. It’s not. Keep sowing the seeds (creating, sending out, reading) and eventually what you plant will grow.
  
 

• Life doesn’t always make sense. Remember that bad things happen. Sometimes things happen for no reason. We like to have a logical equation for everything. If you write a brilliant novel, an editor will buy it. If you send out a perfect query, an agent will ask to see more. But that is not always the case. Sometimes the editor is at the wrong publishing house, so that even if they like your work, it’s not right for the publisher. Or your article is ahead of its time.