Taking risks, in life and in writing

It all started in college. I was an undecided major, and went through a couple of changes in major (as well as a few changes in minors). I blame my interest in so many different areas. My husband calls it "hobby ADHD."

Even after I graduated with my Bachelors, I thought I knew what I wanted to do and spent the next four to five years getting my doctorate in clinical psychology. I was going to be a therapist.  During the fifth year, I tried something different, something I never considered before (because of my unease in speaking in front of people): teaching. And I loved it! I switched majors and ended up getting my doctorate in Educational Leadership.

Fast forward eight years, and I'm thinking of a career change again. Maybe it is hobby ADHD. This time, it’s not even in the same general area, but it is related to my eventual minor in college. However, this move may mean going back to school for another degree. The government doesn't really want their money back, do they? 

The thing that's holding me back is fear. Many of us are afraid of change, because it includes unknown factors and we're not comfortable with the unknown. Even if our current lives suck for one reason or another, we're not always willing to change it because we'd rather deal with known expectations than take a risk. In my personal experience, risks I've taken have worked out, but every time I'm faced with the option to try something new, I freeze up again.

Fear is a common motivator we don't acknowledge all the time. When I ask my students what motivates them, a lot of them will answer "family." But you know what? I suggest it's not their family that motivates them, but fear. Fear of disappointing someone. Fear of losing someone (in the case of not having the income needed to support a family). This fear is what drives them to come to class and turn in their work. 

Writers talk about fear, and there's a great video of Elizabeth Gilbert, where she talks about fear in writing. 

The trick is to go on, despite your fear. Take a deep breath, put on your big girl panties, and just do it. What's the worst that can happen? You fail?

Well, there is that.

But I'm also one of those people that has no regrets. Even my mistakes were learning experiences. I believe they happen for a reason, and sometimes that reason is simply to make me who I am today. I like me.

Writing a story when I knew absolutely nothing about creative writing was a risk. Letting other people read my writing is a risk. Sending my work out to agents and editors is a risk. Going to conferences alone is a risk. Talking to other authors, editors, and agents at said conferences is a risk. Letting characters talk me into writing stories outside my normal genre is a risk. But you know what? I've done them all with pleasant consequences. I've met some fantastic people, made lifelong friendships, and actually enjoyed  doing all these things. If I had the funds, I'd attend every conference physically possible. The writing risks I've taken by listening to random characters became some of my better work. I've stretched my creative process by stepping outside my comfort zone.

I urge you to do the same. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to research Graphic Design schools. *grin*

When have you taken risks? How'd they turn out?

WRITING AND...

As a writer it can be challenging to keep up with blogging, facebook,and twitter just to name a few. Not to mention following your favorite writers, friends, family and their blogs and posts. Although enjoyable, and in some cases necessary, it can take away from the thing we love most, writing.

This was a big challenge for me when editing my book to send to an editor who requested it. I decided tunnel vision was the best option and for a while it was, however I discovered some hard truths.

• Editing can be draining both emotionally and creatively
• You miss out on what's happening with friends and family
• Your creative well isn't renewed with just editing

Besides, if I wanted to write for a living I was going to have to juggle a lot more balls than I already was. So I pulled up my boot straps and got back in the game. I dusted off my weekly schedule that helped me cram in everything important, added a new item or two, and put it back to work.

I found I missed blogging, and all forms of cyber communication more than I realized. Especially the interaction, and not just the scroll through and quick likes during my morning bathroom routine, but dedicated time to reading and leaving comments (when blogger would allow me). Most importantly, I missed the wonderful people.

So tell me angels, what do you do to get back on track or stay there all the time?

When Life Hands You Lemons...Write a Story

When life hands you lemons...we've all heard that saying, and many of us can certainly look at the events in our lives as a little (or a lot) sour at times.  My own personal bout with breast cancer has made my mouth pucker a time or two.  The funny thing about it though is I haven't let it slow me down much.  With a career in both education and writing, a husband who can't sit still, and three young children, a pity party just isn't going to happen, and I certainly don't want one.

For a while now, though, I've been thinking about my experience, and a meeting with my local Kentucky Romance Writers opened my eyes to something I'd been toying with.  A guest speaker by the name of Shirley Garrett (click on her name to visit her website), author of A Tap Water Girl In a Bottled Water World, explained that it was a story about her early childhood that got her speaking and writing for a living.  You see, she and her siblings were abandoned by their mother at an early age to live with an aunt who wasn't exactly the nurturing type, and their father was in the military and gone most of the time.  At the age of four, she and her siblings were adopted (by two separate, but close in proximity, families), and the first Christmas the family spent together was her first story she wrote and published.  This is a perfect example of taking the lemons of life and making a very nourishing story.

I have my own ideas for what I'd like to write down, and I kind of had an epiphany of how to go about it.  For a long time, I could only focus on the negative aspects of having cancer (typical mortal me), but now I realize that I need to focus on the positives, and yes, there were positives.  What blessings emerged from such a difficult time in my life?  I've made connections I never would have made; I've learned a few things about myself I never realized I had in me; and I've accomplished a few things I never would have dreamt before.  These are the ideas I want to promote about life's bitter events.  I think if you're going to put yourself out there, do it in a way that uplifts.  That's my goal as I begin writing about my personal experiences.

I don't know that I'll ever publish any of it, except maybe on a blog, but I think I'll be better for getting it down on paper, so to speak.

The truth is, we live in a world full of lemons.  I am currently praying for the folks along the East Coast who've been affected by Hurricane Irene.  Many of these same people just experienced a pretty significant earthquake.  We know bad things happen.  Life is all about obstacles and overcoming.  As writers, why not get a good story or two out of the bad?.

Now, I couldn't post to this blog without some kind of eye candy, so I found this oh, so, delectable model named, Nicholas Lemons.  He must be on hard times because he's apparently lost the shirt off his back *fans self*.

Happy Writing!

Cherie
http://www.cheriemarks.blogspot.com
http://www.cheriemarks.com
Into the Fire, releasing October 5, 2011 from The Wild Rose Press

The Doctor is IN!!!!

What is it that women find so sexy about male doctors? Is it the way they look in those baggy scrubs? Is it the white lab coat? Or is it their ability to accessorize: stethoscopes looped casually around their necks, pen light at the ready to check your eye’s dilation reaction, tongue depressor in hand, or the way they look coming out of surgery, with the fashionably snazzy head coverings, masks, and those little slipper things over their shoes? Maybe it’s all of that power at their fingertips as they feel for lumps, swollen glands, stiff joints, etc... I hear the God syndrome runs pretty high in doctor’s circles…no matter how much we all know that nurses are just as important in the medical profession and get far too little credit from some doctors. I have to admit that I’ve pretty well lucked out when it comes to doctors. Although my GP is a woman here in Kinder, my three specialists in Lake Charles are all men…and extremely good looking men, at that. Since a couple of my novels center around medical professionals I’ve decided to dedicate this week’s blog to my very own Men of Medicine.

First up is Dr. William C. Moss, a surgeon in Lake Charles, La. Well over six feet tall, I've seen this guy go from capable, young, handsome "Billy Boy" (His dad is also a doctor) with dark hair and dark brown eyes, to the older, distinguished looking doctor with salt and peppered hair. Still extremely attractive, but more important, a wonderful doctor. Caring, efficient, listens to what I have to say and never rushes through an examination. He's ordered breast biopsies, removed cysts, and performed my lumpectomy almost two years ago.
Judge for yourselves...aint he purty?



Next up is Dr. John Noble, an orthopedic surgeon in Lake Charles who has perfomed carpal tunnel surgery on my hand as well as arthroscopic surgery on my knee. He's a little under six feet tall, has blond hair and blue eyes, the best bedside manner and very skilled as a surgeon. Doesn't hurt that he's verra nice to look at, ladies. Aren't I lucky?


How about other real life doctor’s? Here’s a couple I watch on television quite often:
Dr. Oz – made famous by Oprah – Also a nice looking man.



My newest favorite doctor to watch on t.v. is Dr. Travis Stork from The Doctors. Incidentally, the hunky six feet, four inch hunky doctor also appeared as The Bachelor on season eight. I just found out about that...did anyone else know that?
What a dish!



I ask you…HOW SEXY IS THAT?

Let’s just throw in some Grey’s Anatomy hunkies, for good measure.
Patrick Dempsey (Derek Shepherd), Justin Chambers (Alex Karev), Eric Dane (Mark Sloan), and my personal favorite, Kevin McKidd (Owen Hunt)