I spent the morning watching the Lifetime movie about J.K. Rowling’s life that my husband’s parents recorded for me. Clearly it’s no secret she’s my idol. I always find it interesting to learn more about where my idols come from and wonder if one day my story of simple beginnings will lead to everything I’ve ever dreamed of.
National Novel Writing Month 2011 is just days from being over and I’m thrilled to report I’m on track to win. I’ve had a sneak peek at the winner’s certificate and it will look fabulous on the wall next to my other ones. But aside from the certificate, I walk away every year with something more important: a renewed passion for writing. And not just writing in general–my writing.
Throughout most of the year, I find it difficult to connect with my writing. There are so many other things in life begging for my attention, it’s nearly impossible to get in that writing state of mind. Rowling had difficulties writing too. She suffered from lack of inspiration, heartbreaking circumstances that got in the way, and wondering if writing was even the right path for her. But a story–you know the story–stuck with her through it all and eventually that story became the story of millions. No matter what she went through, she continued to feel the passion for her writing and it was her lifeboat through it all.
She wrote much of the beginnings of Harry Potter by hand. She kept the pages in a box that she guarded with her life. That’s where I feel the passion for writing lives–in a box, in the darkness of night, in the stolen moments. It’s in those few minutes each day that are yours and only yours.
NaNoWriMo always gives that back to me. It forces me to hold close those minutes each day in order to meet my goal. On most other days, I give those moments away to my daughter or my husband or my family or my clients and pretty soon I forget how much I cherished them. Today I can’t wait for those moments and the ones I’ll take back in the days to come and stories that will form from them. I can’t wait to share those words so they become the stories of others.
Do you feel that passion for your writing today? Most days? Not at all? I hope you do. If you don’t, I encourage you to steal those moments back. In the darkness of night, in the early morning hours, when no one is looking. We’re all going through tough times right now and it’s those moments that you keep for yourself that get you through. Take all those little moments of your life and turn them into something beautiful.
How do you hold onto the passion for your writing?
J.K. Rowling is one of my idols too, especially since she wrote through so much adversity when she started Harry Potter. I get side tracked from my writing with either my health problems (getting neck surgery next Monday) or from my sons’ medical/emotional issues. Sometimes I am too stressed to write, but since NaMo started, my love of writing has grown immensely, and has become my biggest strength (besides praying) through whatever life throws at me.
I’m glad we are both winning NaMo this year! 🙂
That’s so fantastic. I can’t imagine any more important a reason to hold your writing dear than when times really get tough.
I hope your surgery goes well and you recover quickly.
I love JKR and her story is so inspirational. I sometimes find it difficult to get started in the morning, but then, when I’ve written something and a tiny voice tells me “this doesn’t suck” , then I get the passion back.
Yes! Lol! Gotta love that voice. We hear it so infrequently. 😉