Plotting a New Short Story

I think plotting is fun. That’s when my creative juices really kick in. New plot—new scenes! What fun.

I wish I could get rid of that nagging negative self-image in the back of my head. It’s always there, telling me that it’s not good enough or that no one will like it. Any suggestions on how to get rid of it? I’d love to know your secret.

I love to watch Lark Rise to Candleford (BBC series) because the writer keeps each segment character driven and lets the plot come from the character’s actions. He sets the premise and then allows each character to play his or her part. I’m struggling to do that. Sometimes I get action-oriented and forget to give the characters thoughts and feelings. I’m getting better, but am still not wonderful at it.

There is my negative attitude again. Will I ever learn?

I’ll let you know how this piece comes out. It may be in a book of short stories published in the fall.

Take care. Please let me know how to get rid of self-doubt. Happy writing.

Christy

http://christymonson.blogspot.com/

http://prophetsinperson.blogspot.com/

http://www.christymonson.com/

Living Bigger

Twenty two comments, L.T. Wow! I call that living big. I'd say you struck a chord. I love the idea of living big in your writing. I guess everyone else did, too. Your post reminded me of a Nelson Mandella quote I have sitting on my writing desk.

Our worst fear is not that we are inadequate; our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light not our darkness that most frightens us.

We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented,and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.

We were born to make manifest the glory of God within us. It is not just in some of us, it is in everyone and as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence authomatically liberates others.
--Nelson Mandella

Living small, playing small, feeling small, we all do it sometimes. When we write big, we do crawl out of our smallness, and it feels wonderful. What if we could take that idea a little farther? What if in real life we could crawl out of our smallness? What if we could find that bigness in our real lives. What if we could not just write our truth, but live our truth?

Now that would be living bigger.

Linda Garner