Sweet Sacrifice: Words of Encouragement for Struggling Writers - One Sentence at a Time

The following is a chapter of a work in progress titled Sweet Sacrifice: Words of Encouragement for Struggling Writers. Every so often I’ll publish a new chapter on this blog until the entire book is complete. If you have any comments, please leave them below and I’ll do my best to answer them promptly. Enjoy!

One Sentence At A Time

The sentence—it’s the most basic unit of writing, but many of us struggle to put down a few, let alone a single word each day. If you can compose a sentence, even to the tune of one per day, you will eventually finish an entire book. It’s a mathematical certainty, even if an author doesn’t have an inkling about plot, characterization, mood, setting, thematic elements or even the genre that they’re writing in. Books are realized by those brave, few souls who are willing to commit one sentence after the other until they reach the end. It’s really that simple.

A sentence can be big or small, and doesn’t have to conform to a predetermined length. It can be composed of a single word or ramble on into infinity—whatever works! Vary them accordingly.

All it takes to start moving is a few, simple words. By focusing on the sentence at hand, you can make an immediate impact on your work. Perhaps you don’t know what you’re writing yet. In the strange phenomenon that is writing, after one writes for a while, the greater point that they’re trying to convey suddenly appears in their head. They don’t need to know where they’re going, only that they are moving forward—at least, that’s how it works for me. Words are not necessarily wasted. If you hadn’t been writing, you wouldn’t have found what you were looking for.

Or perhaps you’re one of those master plotters who have everything worked out beforehand. One day, you may come to a point where you find it hard to juggle all the details to make the words come out just right.

Relax. Take a step back. And simplify.

And if you find yourself rereading the same sentence over and over again, and your productivity has been reduced to a feeble crawl, perhaps you’re trying to do too much. Put your work aside and concentrate on the next few words. Try not to worry about it; just get it out. Then the next. Keep going till that mental block you hurdled is far behind in your rearview mirror.

If you think too much about what you’re going to do before you do it, you can easily defeat yourself. Perhaps you want to write 10,000 words today, or (gasp) even more. Worrying about it won’t get words onto paper. The more you ponder the mountain that you must climb, the less inclined you will be to scale it.

Baby steps first, my ambitious friend. Just a little at a time is all you need to worry about. One sentence at a time.

Is it finally sinking in? Once you’re in motion, stay in motion. With a little practice, it will become apparent how much your brain can handle at one time. Perhaps you cannot hold an entire sentence in your head at once. I find myself putting down the first half of a sentence and figuring out the rest as I go along. This is normal, and you will be able to handle more as you get more comfortable.

Or perhaps you have another dilemma—perhaps your brain can hold multiple sentences before getting them out. I bow to your genius, master author.

Hopefully you’re a fast typist, for with that talent I’d imagine that there is a tendency to revise your thoughts before getting them down. If you can do this at high speeds, so much the better for you. But if you encounter frequent conflicts and are experiencing waning productivity, take it down a notch. This is a writing process after all, not an editing process.

Give yourself some space to actually compose. Don’t over-think the process. Let it all out.

This reminds me of something my instructor said at a beginner art class years back. First, we were shown children’s drawings of trees and houses and flowers lining the walkway. I’m sure you’ve seen these before and probably scribbled down quite a few in your time. While crude, an undeniable energy radiated from each of the drawings. Trees weren’t merely trees but prickly, multi-armed giants with green mounds of cotton candy for hair. The smiles were big and colors plentiful—masterpieces in their own messy right.

Then we were shown the adult drawings of the same house and field and they were mere shells of the former works. Lines were tight and measured, detailing the edges of what was meant to be described. The flair of life was missing, replaced by hesitation and fear of getting a single line wrong.

This comparison also pertains to writing. Do you want to be that writer who merely sketches around the edges? Or do you mind getting a little messy from time to time and digging to the core of what you’re after? Instead of trying to write perfectly from the outset, hit your mark. You can always clean it up later, and striking the right cord is better than dancing around it.

If you’re comfortable with the way you write, there isn’t any reason to fix it. There are thousands of ways to write a book, and one isn’t necessarily more correct than another. It all depends on you.

But if your current process causes you grief from time to time, consider dialing it back to something more manageable. For this exercise, be supremely focused on the sentence coming out of you. Block out all distractions and any pressure that you’ve placed upon yourself. Do more with less. As long as it helps get you moving, that’s all that matters. Choose to be productive, one sentence at a time.

This is your time. Enjoy it. Unload the burden and allow yourself to embody the title that you hold dear, for today you are a writer!

Sweet Sacrifice - Writing: A Timeless Celebration

Do you know how it feels

When your spirit soars?

You do?

Good

Then you’ve probably written before

This isn’t some crackpot theory

Or unscrupulous form of chicanery

You can go anywhere

Do anything

Know what it’s like

To be alive

A vibrant dreamscape awaits

This private universe inside

Come

Join me now

Let yourself go

You are always welcome

Always cherished

And your words mean something here

Why would you

Even for a second

Think of going away

Leaving the fruits of your labor

To die on the vine

This kingdom

Built of dreams

Unlike any other

Abandoned      

Falling back into the void

From whence it came

Do not cower from destiny

There are no mistakes here

Evolve

As other creatures have

In this vivid, wondrous land

If you’re worried

About being yourself

Swallow your fear

For you are your words

And your words are you

Together

Inseparable

One

The world wants to know you

Not some rehashed tale

Or soulless tripe

Churned out

By the ivory towers

And paper mills

Of the northeast

Your readers love you

Because you are you

Unique

Real

Someone they can relate to

You are their hope

For better things to come

Validation

That the human soul exists

Let your voice

Desires

Dreams

Be heard

This is your world

Share it with others

In turn

They will gladly share theirs

Go forth

But be quick about it

Come back soon

So that we can hear about

All you’ve discovered

And revel

In this timeless celebration

Of the human spirit

Known as writing

Sweet Sacrifice: Never Surrender

Tired? Me too. The story of my life, actually. Seems like I never get enough sleep. Or time off. Not too long ago I took a break—from work, life…everything. A mini-retirement if you will, and what I found disturbed me.

With an ocean of time at my disposal, I soon realized that I wasn’t doing much of anything. I continued depriving myself of sleep, and grumbled every time my son woke me in the morning. I was decaying right in front of my eyes, and I knew it. I now understand what people mean when they talk about the need to stay active and “will to live.”

In the end, going back to work was the best thing for me. I wasn’t making good use of the time, and was surprised at how much I had left over after working an 8-hour workday. I could even squeeze in a little writing during my lunch break, who would have thought? There were plenty of opportunities to write if I had just opened my mind.

Later I compared my productivity during my hiatus to my new working life and was stunned. The results were roughly the same. How could this be? When you have less time, you make better use of it. The time at work also gives you a much-needed break from writing, and in addition, new social experiences to draw upon.

When focusing exclusively on writing, I find that I work really hard for a few weeks, promptly run myself into the ground, and then stop. By stop, I mean a dead stop, as in no writing at all. A few weeks of intense writing is typically followed by weeks (or even months) of inactivity, resulting in an output that is equivalent to part-time status.

The moral of the story is that I was wrong to stop, even though I convinced myself otherwise. We can deceive ourselves into believing just about anything as long as we get what we want. But in the end what I truly needed was a break. “I’m sick of this”, “I don’t want to do this anymore”, “I never finish anything”, and the infamous “What I really want to do is…” are all justifications for giving up, a recipe for failure which adds even more distance between you and your work.

In hindsight, I should have scaled back. Instead of writing ten pages a day, five would have sufficed. I should have broken things up, given myself frequent breaks, and written periodically throughout the day. If I had done this for a few weeks, I would have sufficiently recovered without sacrificing quality.

For those times when I have had to produce in a very short period of time, I’m often surprised with the results. At first it’s difficult to get into; my energy is low, writing poor and attention fleeting. Then around the thirty-minute mark something just clicks. I stop listening to all those self-defeating thoughts, get past myself, and dive in. Fatigue subsides, a light goes on, and then suddenly I begin producing. All this despite convincing myself that I did not have the enthusiasm or the interest to write a whit more.

Before you fall into this downward spiral, silence your mind. You’ll never get enough sleep anyways, and there’s always something better that you could be doing. Don’t pay your fickle emotions any heed. Open up your heart and mind to the words flowing through you.

Though it’s true that you can be your own worst enemy, you can also be your greatest ally. Keep your emotions in check and schedule time to do the things that you really want rather than what grabs you at any particular moment. It’s easy to find yourself stumbling down the wrong path (and occasionally right off the cliff) if not careful. You know better, listen to yourself. If it requires planning and sacrifice then it’s probably worth it, otherwise you wouldn’t bother.

Whatever you decide, make sure that it’s obtainable and repeatable. If you’re planning to write 16 hours a day for the foreseeable future, think again. Give yourself a chance to come up for oxygen, and don’t forget to get up and walk around every once in awhile; blot clots have a funny way of messing up your merry day.

Even while you’re away from your work, your mind will continue chopping away at the problem at hand. You don’t have to be at your desk to come up with brilliant ideas, and inspiration will often strike at the most inconvenient of times. Some of my greatest insights have come during breaks, propelling me forward with a new energy and conviction that would not have been possible if I had forced myself through. Be judicious with your breaks, and you will find that you are more productive, not less.

Most importantly, see your project through to the end; you owe it to yourself. Despite all the blood, sweat and tears (or I shall I say, the chocolate, cheeseburgers and Pop Tarts) it’s definitely worth it. You didn’t come all this way just to give up, did you? And what will you have if you do give up? That’s right, nothing. Without publishing your work, how can anyone know for sure that it really exists? You have little more than a promise. And what advantage do you have over the person who cannot write? If you never finish anything, none.

Adopt a policy of never giving up on any project. You must have had a good reason when you started, and at some point, envisioned it working despite your troubles. Don’t delay; finish it. There’s no telling if this project or the next is the one that gives you your big break. Editors and publishers have been trying to do this for years and still pass over such gems as A Time To Kill and Harry Potter. The truth is nobody knows, so what do you have to lose?

Regardless of the odds or how little time you have to write, if you follow through you will always win and never have to second-guess yourself. It’s your duty as an author to believe in your work, fight every step of the way, and to never surrender. Ever.

Cover for Sweet Sacrifice, My Self-Help Book for Writers

Sweet Sacrifice: Choose To Win

Did you win today?

Did you conquer the day?

No?

Then ask yourself:

What are you doing?

Where has your time gone?

Do you have anything to show for it?

If it’s worth the fight

Do it right

Put your butt in the chair

Take a breath of fresh air

And write

Peck away at the keys

Tell us about the girl and the fire

And that faint summer breeze

For you are a writer

If you choose to be

Begin again

You know how

Choose to win

Right here and now

--S.E. Gordon

Sweet Sacrifice: The Meaning of the Page

Writing. What is it really? The study of the human mind? A form of reverse psychology where elements of our personal experiences are woven into an alternate reality? Is it our inner fabric, reconstituted? Our own tall tale, our little lie, dwelling in the mind space of others?

There’s more of ourselves that resides in our work than we can possibly imagine. Voices from our life experience are merged with fictitious ones until they begin whispering their own story. From the dead skin of pulp their personalities rise, flesh and fantasy rethreaded into our own unique vision. Perhaps they're elements of a larger structure, where the persona being portrayed is the system itself.

However we frame it, it's curious that the human creature continues to write regardless of social status. Even if words are not intended for economic stimulus, one can still reap the benefits of their cathartic release.

But it’s so much more than that.

Characters fulfill us; when they succeed, we succeed. In their skin we can do anything, limited only by our imagination. The world of possibilities is tempting, infinite and deeply satisfying.

Besides acting out our fantasies, writing is also used to cope with problems in our personal lives. Do you see just as much of yourself in the protagonist as you do the antagonist? Perhaps it’s time to make a change. Are you struggling with your fears, dissatisfaction from past experiences or the death of a loved one? Writing can help heal these wounds, and offer perspective once you’ve determine what ails you.

So ask yourself: Why do you really write?

Is it to make a quick buck? Build a name? To become the next James Patterson or Stephen King?

Or is much more primitive than that?

Do you find that no matter how hard you try, you cannot simply turn it off? Do ideas flow like a faucet with no end in sight?

In essence, that’s my story. Since I was a child I’ve dreamed up stories that often did not make it to the page. All this time these ideas have lingered, growing more and more profound rather than going away. They dwell in my subconscious, waiting for release, and will not be denied. Deep down inside I know that I will succeed. It’s just a matter of getting it all out.

There are just as many reasons to write as there are leaves on trees, and to understand what truly motivates us is the first step towards self-fulfillment.

So I ask you again: What compels you to write?

If you are genuine and sincere, there is no amount of criticism that can deter you on your quest to becoming an author. And you may find, just as I have, that once you get started it’s hard to stop. I write because I must—I no longer have a choice in the matter—and I hope you feel the same way too.

If you believe in yourself, and strive to improve yourself every day, you will succeed. It’s only a matter of time.

Opportunity

In every moment

Every corner of our lives

There’s opportunity

It’s not so much a question

Of whether or not

We have what it takes

Rather

Will we recognize

And act upon it

Imagine all that could be achieved

If we gave everything

For just a few short moments

Each day

Simple goals

Such as writing 1,000 words

Would be a certainty

No longer relegated

To the theatre of our minds

Scrape together

Enough of these moments

And the extraordinary

Becomes possible

Writing 10,000 words

Is within reach

With a simple change of perspective

And a little discipline

But to take advantage of opportunity

One must be aware

Of its existence

Consider the time

You have right now

You will not have it again

It is yours

This one time only

Invest it

Take that first step

Don’t let the journey

Pass you by

I am a writer!

I am a writer; there’s little I can do about it. I've flipped the switch; cannot simply turn it off, cannot ignore what I’ve become. These words belong on the page. I must honor this, even if it means ripping me out of my comfort zone.

I am a writer, not just today. Every day is a new adventure. Every day seeks to be understood. I can only hold back so long before it gnaws at me. "What about this?" An idea races through my head. "Or this?” Ack! I need to let it out now, before these characters drive me nuts! Looks like I’m halfway there already.

I am a writer. Wrote 10,000 words in one day. Once. There have been 5,000 and 7,000 word days. But only once apiece. I know what I am capable of. So why do I falter? Why haven’t I gotten back to this?

I am a writer. I have a tendency to run myself into the ground. I start fast and crash quickly, and don’t stare at the page again for weeks. Where is my discipline? When am I going to finish these projects at hand?

I am a writer.

I need to make a change.

And I’m going to do it right now.

I will give you the time you deserve each and every day. Instead of rushing ahead, I will sit back and listen, enjoying everything I hear. I am only limited by how fast I can keep up with you, o feeblest of minds.

I will surround myself with others who will push me. Try not to be so critical about my own or other’s work. And I will finish what I start.

Why?

Because I am a writer. And writers finish.

A Much Needed Declaration, from One Writer to Another

You are meant to succeed.

Yes, you.

This is your moment, the moment where you learn to believe in yourself.

Your eyes were meant to grace these words, just as I was meant to put them down. What separates this moment from the last is that in this moment, you chose to believe.

Are you doing yourself any favors by heeding your doubts? Would you bother mulling these scant, few words if you did not have an inkling of faith in yourself?

“But how do I break through?” you ask. “How do I begin achieving the level of success I am capable of?”

First, believe.

Second, and most importantly, trust yourself.

Yes, trust! For many this is a slippery word. Life tends to beat us down when we let it; every negative thought and emotion chipping away at our self-image, taking our confidence and dreams with it.

“But how do I learn to trust myself? After all my failures, isn’t it best I not get my hopes up?” you ponder.

Clear the baggage of the past. Instead, arm yourself with the sword of belief, and cool steel of trust. We’ve already determined you a success; why bother arguing?

For the failures of yesterday, yours and mine alike, you are hereby absolved. Leave the shackles by the door. For even if you stray from the path, the experience of the journey holds true, and will help you find your way back. Isn’t experience what is relayed anyways? With the burden lifted, the only thing left is to listen.

Through listening, we act; nothing could be truer for a writer. Instead of wasting your energy on doubt, instead use it to discover what you will say when you cast the final die.

So go ahead and put your thoughts down. What do you have to lose? Get it all out, and keep going. Foster that connection, that inner trust, so that you become a better listener, and learn what it is you’re pouring yourself into. There is always room for scrutiny; learn to use it effectively.

There is no shame in writing about a story before entering it, just as a builder demands a blueprint. Find out what best works for you. Design your discipline in a manner that allows you to achieve goals on a daily basis. In all things, seek balance, so that you continue inspiring thought, and cultivating your yield before sharing the harvest.

Go now, and move forward with confidence, for today you are a success.