Don’t Stress Tip#10

Dear Friend,

Don’t Stress is my writer’s tip#10! And it’s here for a good reason. The majority of the time, we, as writers, focus so much on progressing the story we’re trying to put to paper or screen, we increase our cortisol levels to a ridiculous degree.

What happens when we stress as writers?

We lose sight of what our story was in the first place, and we eliminate any of the creative genius God gave us.

So what’s the remedy?

Eliminate the pressure you’re putting on yourself.

Don’t perform.

I’m not sure if this is the case for you, but whenever the words I want to write get jammed up in my head, it’s usually because I’m focused on how it will be received and whether or not what I’m writing will meet with some unknown person’s approval. When this happens, my creativity dries up. I lose my focus…and my nerve, so to speak. This doesn’t do anything but harm myself and inhibit the progression of my story.

Another remedy for eliminating the stress of story completion…

I know I’ve touched on this before, but it is really worth reiterating: stop writing your story and let it write itself.

While it’s always good to have some inkling of where you’d prefer your story goes, I wholeheartedly believe it’s best to just let the story guide you to venues you may not even have once thought to entertain. Being too rigid with your story will stifle your creativity.

So employ tip#10 and don’t stress about getting your story out on paper. Enjoy the process. Even if you have to let it sit for a week or so. Sometimes this allows your story to gel in your mind, or it gives you a fresh perspective, and you may find yourself wanting to rewrite those last 4 pages, adding to it, or eliminating it altogether for something new and innovative.

My Advice for a planner…

Even if you’re a planner and you love to have your plot line all written out before you start, allow your creativity to invest itself in the progression of your story outline.

Don’t overplan. Don’t stipulate too much.

Perhaps you already do this if you’re a planner. I don’t mean to preach to your effect. To be honest, it’s probably a little harder for me to speak to those writers who really enjoy planning all the nitty gritty details. I definitely admire you. While I’m a super detailed person, it’s a strange thing, with writing, I’m more of a free spirit. Outisde of writing, you’ll definitely find I’m a pretty good Type A personality. I like my ducks in a row. I like order. I love a plan for my day to day business. However, with writing, I just find that to immerse myself in my story suits my personality and my writing style better.

Which should you choose: free spirit writing or planning?

Hands down, choose whichever writing style best fits you and your preferences for accomplishment. If I was told I’d have to plan my novels out to the most minute details, I’d go crazy, and my story would most likely never be finished. I’d be so focused on executing the plan, I wouldn’t have any consideration for the creative side of it. Honestly, I predict it would be a pretty stale, flat, boring story. It wouldn’t have any of the flavor of the free spirit side of my writing. Nor would it contain any of the depth and beauty of descriptions. But again, that’s just me. Definitely put your hand to whichever way enhances your flow of creativity.

Verdict…

As I mentioned before, a lot of writers thrive on this method of planning out their entire story first. Therefore, I encourage you wholeheartedly to pursue what works best for you! I wouldn’t want to take that away from you, and perhaps you could share your writing experience with me and let me know why you loving planning out your novels and how you do it. I’d love to get your persepctive and learn from your methods! I believe there’s always a take-away from everything that’s presented in the writing world. So, feel free to shoot me an email. 🙂

Final word…

Love your craft! Enjoy the process, and don’t stress! Employ tip#10 as often as you can. Let your creativity flow. Don’t stifle it by worrying about how it will be perceived or where the story is going. It’ll take you there. Be open to the movement of the story itself and the message God is encouraging you to weave within its folds.

If God means for you to finish your story, you shall. I firmly believe this. The more you write your story for the King, the One True God we know and love, the faster your story will unfold. Don’t stress!

This story you’re fashioning is just the beginning of many more to come…

Final encouragement…

That being said, story writing is definitely a committment.

But, if you love writing as much as I do, it’s a committment worth keeping. You never know how the words God’s given you will change the heart, perspective, or attitude of another person. Your novel may be the one medium through which another person learns more about God’s love, His forgiveness, His mercy, His grace, the love of the brethren for each other, what healthy relationships between men and women, family members, and friends looks like, or should look like, and lots more.

What you know and love about Jesus, you can take to the entire world through what you write. There’s no end to the possibilities. You are God’s missionary. A missionary of words. Don’t underestimate how God can use that.

Conclusion…

Be bold. Be courageous. Write what no one else would because they fear rejection or a lack of approval from fellow writers, or they fear their book won’t measure up to the trends in the market.

God has a purpose for what you are writing. Write your story for Him and you can’t fail because what you write is beautiful and unique, just like each thing that God created in nature and the universe is unique and beautiful and brings Him glory.

Like the seed of the Gospel, if you sow words of encouragement, Biblical truths, virtuous relationships, and the beauty of the Gospel message into your works, God will not let that fall to the wayside. He will use it for His glory, and think of how many men and women, boys and girls, would miss out on what God would have you say, if you stress and stifle the creativity He meant for you to share.

Are you with me? Then go for it this week, and write the story that’s been pestering you to let it run free…

Miss the other Writer’s Nook tips?

You can check out all the Writer’s Nook tips you might have missed by going here. I hope you find them helpful. 🙂

Until next time…if you heard me say it before, let it be said one last time…don’t stress! Follow tip#10 and find that God has opened a whole new perspective to writing your story…God bless xoxo

P.S. Here’s a calming, instrumental song called, Song for Viola, from the album Leavetaking by Peter Bradley. I listened to this while writing you. I hope it helps calm your heart and mind and inspires you to wend those words onto the page. You can find it here.