Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we oft might win by fearing to attempt.
William Shakespeare
I live in Florida. You know, the umm... Sunshine State. Whoever named it was never here during the summer. The bright sunshine that greets the morning also stokes the fires in the atmosphere. You can actually watch as the storm clouds brew until, right on cue in mid-afternoon, Floridians (and all those poor, unsuspecting tourists) fall prey to a monsoon gully washer!
Experienced Floridians have learned to divide their daily plans into three parts: BS, DS and AS... before, during or after the daily storm. It's the most productive way to get through the day. I laugh on Labor Day when the local weatherman warns, "plan do your outdoor grilling at 9am". No fooling!
When I'm sitting in my car being caught out in the torrential downpour, I'm reminded of my writing journey. When I least expect it, storm clouds of doubt pop out of nowhere during my writing day and rain on my parade. They dump a deluge of negative thoughts right onto my manuscript. My confidence is soaked to the bone. The writer in me becomes a wrinkled old prune from prolonged exposure to the storm of doubt.
It won't take a person long to realize that as quickly as Florida summer storms hit and blast a hole in the sunny day, the menacing clouds gallop over the horizon and disappear. They're just... gone! Such is it with the storms of doubt. They are strong when they come. Just like tourists driving on the interstates in Florida, sometimes you have to find a place to pull over and park until it passes.
It will pass. It always does. Ride out the storm of doubt and then get back about writing your prose. It's what we do. We're writers. Storms and all...
Experienced Floridians have learned to divide their daily plans into three parts: BS, DS and AS... before, during or after the daily storm. It's the most productive way to get through the day. I laugh on Labor Day when the local weatherman warns, "plan do your outdoor grilling at 9am". No fooling!
When I'm sitting in my car being caught out in the torrential downpour, I'm reminded of my writing journey. When I least expect it, storm clouds of doubt pop out of nowhere during my writing day and rain on my parade. They dump a deluge of negative thoughts right onto my manuscript. My confidence is soaked to the bone. The writer in me becomes a wrinkled old prune from prolonged exposure to the storm of doubt.
It won't take a person long to realize that as quickly as Florida summer storms hit and blast a hole in the sunny day, the menacing clouds gallop over the horizon and disappear. They're just... gone! Such is it with the storms of doubt. They are strong when they come. Just like tourists driving on the interstates in Florida, sometimes you have to find a place to pull over and park until it passes.
It will pass. It always does. Ride out the storm of doubt and then get back about writing your prose. It's what we do. We're writers. Storms and all...
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