Are you using your Weapon?

The position as writer can be a lonely one. As writers we struggle with hardships that others just can't comprehend. "If it causes you pain, then stop." "Nobody's making you do this." Do those words sound familiar?

My family is supportive, in their way. And my friends say they understand but they don’t. I’m not going to sit and have a pity party, though. Because I have a tool at my disposal that can turn any frown or wayward thought on its head.

It’s my imagination.

Yes, my imagination. We, as writers, use it everyday when we pound out words at our computers, typewriters and place pen on paper. Unless, you write nonfiction – I mean the boring, textbook kind – you use your imagination to create. This is an indispensable tool in our arsenal against those creeping thoughts that come to sabotage our creativity and kill our spirits.

How can we use imagination to our advantage?

I tell myself stories all the time and the best ones are always about me. I see me accomplishing my dream of becoming a published author. I picture the conversation between my agent and me. He/She will call and express how they are so happy to have found me in their slush pile. They will explain how they couldn’t put the book down. “I was up all night,” they’ll say.

I picture the next phone call from my agent. “We’re going to auction the book tomorrow.” Yeah, I know, I’m dreaming big. Right. But that’s the point. Dream big or go home! Well, something like that.

My point is, motivate yourself. Stop having a pity party for a week when you get a rejection. Cry, stomp, cry more, punch the wall…then move on. Rejection hurts. It’s like a personal attack against you. Only, its not.

I’m ready to start querying for a story that I’ve been working on and I think that situation spawned this post. I struggle with rejection too. But I do still have my imagination and it won’t allow me to dwell in pity.

So everyone’s invited to my party. My book release party. YAH ME!!!! Come dressed in your finest. I’ve invited some of my closes friends, like, Oprah, George Clooney, Ben Affleck, Stephen King…