First Draft, part 3

            With pen in hand, I wrote the first draft of my latest manuscript on paper. Sometimes I think better, and Muse is more cooperative, if I write in longhand, rather than type on a keyboard. The feel of the pen making long strokes across the lines and the sensation of shaping each letter takes me back to my youth when I wrote everything by this method. What better way to reconnect with childhood than experience a common activity that all children understand; after all, our stories are about connecting with the inner child. 

            My sweet Muse is an inspirational goddess, pure creative karma. That busybody loves everything I write, even if it’s hogwash. I feel so blessed having Muse for a number of reasons:

1.      Ideas offer creative energy. Ideas feed upon ideas, creating notions and concepts that expand story plot and offer numerous routes to explore.

2.    Ideas knock down writer’s block.

3.      Ideas discourage procrastination.

4.      An I-can-write-this attitude empowers and carries me from the beginning to The end.

            When I finished writing the first draft, I began keying it into the computer. By the time I wrote the third paragraph, Inner Critic called out, You call that publishable?

            I wrote a few more sentences, read through them, and made changes as I referred to the written draft.

            See? Isn’t that better? the perfectionist chirped.

            Yes, Inner Critic improved the manuscript. Each time it commented, I asked myself, What can I do to make this better? The method worked and the Inner Critic quietened. I still have a long journey to travel with the story, and I’m fine-tuning the ending. (Thanks, Inner Critic!)

            Inner Critic and Muse play tug-of-war with all my writing. I need the creativity and the critical judgment. Both are a writer’s best friends. Embrace them. 

Call for Submissions for Young Writers will resume in September.

 

Call for Submissions for Adult Writers:

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Step Outside Your Comfort Zone
101 Stories of Trying New Things, Overcoming Fears, and Broadening Your World

We all have a tendency to get in a rut. We start to say no to new things, and that can only lead to a narrower and narrower life. When we try new things, we end up feeling energized and pleased with ourselves. There is tremendous power in saying "yes" to new things, new places, and new experiences. It makes you feel more dynamic, younger, and more of a participant in the world. You're not distancing yourself from change any more. Step outside your comfort zone!

Tell us your own stories about stepping outside your comfort zone and how that changed your life.

Submission guidelines at

http://www.chickensoup.com/story-submissions/story-guidelines

Nancy Kelly Allen has written 40+ children’s books and a cookbook, SPIRIT OF KENTUCKY: BOURBON COOKBOOK.