Thank you for Being a Friend!

When I began this little writing experiment in cyberland, I wanted it to be a source of encouragement to both readers and writers. In other words, everyone. A funny thing happened along the way; you offered me more encouragement than I think I offered you.

The following are some of my favorite posts along with what some very special followers had to offer in return to me. Thanks to all for being a part of my journey in life! 

Sticking With your Work in Progress: With all of our positive talk in front of each other, no one else knows what hints of despair can accompany us in the midnight hour.  One day it looks like this chapter of life is headed the right direction only to find the next chapter headed south with no warning.

Catrina: Thank you Tim!!!!! I’m in a striving frame of spirit tonight. You have encouraged me more than you probably know.

C.L.: This is so very true. I recently returned to a project that had been in sabbatical mode, and I had trouble even reading my own writing. Somehow, every word of it seemed to suck, because I could not get out from behind the lens of my own attitude at that moment. It’s looking better now that I’m working with it regularly.

If You’re Confused, Stand in Line: My confused state of mind comes from trying to conform my writing actions to the current conventions of what makes for good fiction while hanging on to thinking in an individualistic, unconventional and nonconforming way.

Diana: Well you took me in one big circle there. Isn’t it GOOD that you can think unconventionally and as an individual (providing fresh stories, view points and observations) yet act in a way that conforms to the standards of the publishing industry? Like, doesn’t that make you a very good candidate for a successful writer that still enjoys what’s going on in his head? Never give up on the thought patterns that set you apart from every other person out there.

Don’t Waste your Life Experience: Some people end their lives much like they began, focused on themselves too much to notice the stories being told by the lives of people around then. Sadly, their life experience is all but wasted… life experience told through the lens of writing experience becomes something more than a story.

LivingWater: I absolutely agree with you … “Life experience without writing experience loses much … But life experience told through the lens of writing experience becomes something more than a story.” I have shared much of my life experiences in my devotional writings, and that have helped me bless others as well as heal my soul. Thanks for sharing this, Tim. God bless.

The Characters of Our Life: I have come to suspect differently.Knowing more about people would mean slowing down, risking being misunderstood, and seeking to understand someone different than ourselves. Maybe if we all quit being fooled by our own self-importance we would notice them.

Sherry: “Everybody walks past a thousand story ideas every day. The good writers are the ones who see five or six of them. Most people don’t see any.” With every new surgery it feels like the idea well runs a little more dry. Maybe the challenge is as simple as looking beyond myself. I’m surrounded by interesting characters. Inspiring post, Tim. Now I’m thinking of the little old man who walks in the middle of the street every morning…

On Lord Byron, Vampires, and Big Headed Writers: Writing isn’t my life. As a believer in Christ how can it be? In the same way your job, hobby, family, football team, political persuasion, etc. shouldn’t be your life either. Ask yourself this; when people read your stories, observe you at work, talk with you at school, do they perceive “if you don’t do that one thing you will go mad?”

Mike: I’ve often said that oft-repeated quote, “I write because I can’t NOT write,” did not apply to me. I love writing but I could not do it. Easily. Getting up at 4:30 am and slugging through stories is something I choose to do because I enjoy doing it, it gives me an outlet, and it helps pay the bills, but I’ve often … dreamed of just being able to sleep in and not have to be tormented by deadlines and sales numbers and pressure from readers and reviewers. Thanks for being bold enough to write this. For us who write, writing is important and many of us feel it’s a calling . . . but it isn’t life or death stuff.

Sherry: Wow, Tim this is actually quite encouraging. I’ve been convinced that there is something wrong with me because I don’t eat, sleep, and breathe writing or reading. It’s what I do, it’s not who I am. While I get that there is more room for improvement than I can fathom, it’s also comforting to know that I can take a chill pill. The words will come and I can stop beating myself up when they don’t.