Amie Stuart ~ On the Back Porch

Yes, you read that right. I used to be a people pleaser.
The first word many children learn is NO.
Mine was Gecko. Go figure.
I didn’t learn to say “No,” until I turned 26, left the ex, blah blah blah. Up until then I’d spent my whole life pleasing everyone else but myself. And I was a horribly unhappy person.
Nine years later I still have trouble saying “No,” but I’ve also learned to check the Caller ID before I answer, turn off the ringer and delete the emails I don’t feel like responding to.
Except for Christmas and Thanksgiving (and kid’s events =)I don’t do things I don’t feel like doing. And I’m not afraid to tell people when they piss me off because I might hurt their feelings or something. I have feelings too. =)

What does any of this have to do with writing? It goes back to my post about writing something you’re in love with, and finding joy in your writing. And it goes back to protecting your writing. As soon as I finish the edits on CDC it’s back to TCRA. The reason I’m rewriting TCRA is becuase a year ago the writer in me wasn’t mature enough to filter the feedback I got from CP’s. CP’s who are no longer my CP’s I might add. The People Pleaser in me let them impose their standards on my story and voice. And to a certian extent that PP raised it’s ugly head in some of the early feedback I got on the rewrites–which is why I set it aside.

A year ago I met someone (no not that kind of someone LOL). Another writer. She always impressed me as someone who wouldn’t put up with a lot of nonsense. Les and I were both working on our first manuscripts but she was ten years younger than me (or so =)). And even a year ago, she showed a lot of promise. As a writer she’s matured so much in the last year. Her current work is amazingly wonderful and fresh and exciting. When I read it, I can feel her excitement and joy in creating it. In part because she, too, recently rediscovered the joy of writing. Below is part of an email she wrote our critique list yesterday.

I’m not targetting anyone. I have no line in mind, no editor, no
publishing house. I don’t have any guidelines, no target word count
in mind, no nothin’. I’m writing the story for me. How long will
it be? As long as it takes to tell the story. What will happen?
Whatever I think of along the way.

As long as I wrote in an effort to meet HQN or SIL guidelines, what
I wrote (this is only in regard to me) was crap. I was so caught up
in making sure it was exactly what they wanted that I lost sight of
the sheer joy of writing.

Even if she doesn’t currently **g** view writing as a career, I can see her potential. And she’s not the only friend I have that I see potential in (KEL!).

What was the point of all this? I have no clue. But if it amkes you stop and think about what you’re writing and why you’re writing it, then cool. =)