Thursday, January 5, 2012

Just Do It...


Nike got it right when they told the world to just do it.  This can apply to everything.  When fear stops you in your tracks, take a deep breath and do it anyway.

As a writer, I face my fears everyday.  Of not being good enough...afraid that what I'm writing is crap or that I'll never have an interesting idea again.  And you know what?  I sit and face that dreaded blank page and take a deep breath and write anyway.  And you know what else?  Sometimes it's crap. So what!  You have to start somewhere.

I had the privilege of meeting local writer Sage Cohen at a writer's festival last year.  She has written an excellent article for Writer's Digest entitled "10 Ways to Harness Fear and Fuel Your Writing."  Everyone can benefit from reading this piece, whether you're a writer or not.  Art is life.  Life is art.  The process is the process no matter who you are or how you express yourself.

Thanks Sage for such sage advice (pardon the pun, but I couldn't help myself!)  Have a look at what she has to say and then go and plunk yourself down and have your way with the empty page.  Don't edit yourself...just do it!



6 comments:

Kathryn said...

Thank you Sage Cohen and thank you Debbie Lamedman. Great words of wisdom from two great ladies of writing! Now if I can only remember this when I face the blank computer screen...

Jennifer said...

Great advice! Who knew a blank page or computer screen could be so very scary?

MikeB said...

"I'll try to do IT, whatever IT is,
And hopefully explode and not just fizz."

OK, 2012 is upon us. NOW is the time for ACTION:

Acceptance
Change
Timing
Intention
Originality
Nothingness

Sage Cohen said...

Thanks so much for sharing this, Debbie! Wishing you a fierce and fearless 2012!!

John Horne said...

Interesting... in my Psychology class, the instructor just told us about a great book by Susan Jeffers, titled "Feel the Fear.. And Do It Anyway."

My biggest hold back to writing and trying to make it a career is the age old "it's not a real job" idea. Like when family and friends treat it like a hobby of yours.

MikeB said...

"When fear stops you in your tracks, take a deep breath and do it anyway."

Well said. And so true. It is easy to become immobilized with fear if you let it rule your life. Every time you conquer that fear and "just do it," it should make it easier to do the next fearful thing, until . . . until . . . until you are doing it all the time.

I am afraid right now. That after having gotten up very early, I will stay up all day without any more rest, which may not be good for my health. So I will conquer my fear and go back to sleep now!