Challenge

Fred Devito said, "If it doesn't challenge you it doesn't change you."   

Kelly Clarkson sings it this way, "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger/a fighter."

Or for you Barbie fans, "If I wasn't meant to fly, I wouldn't have these wings."

We are meant to fly, to learn, to grow. We cannot know the joy if we never experience the sorrow. We cannot know our inner strength until it is tested.

What are some of your challenges from yesteryears? How did they help shape you? What challenges are you facing right now?

A couple of years ago, an author that I was following like a good fangirl does, posted that she was taking down her work and would henceforth write under another name because of all the criticism to the writing she had posted.

I was devastated. I thought her writing, though rough--as she stated prior to each posting, was brilliant. I particularly loved her extensive vocabulary, her strong female characters, and the witty dialogue. I still go back occasionally to her stories I have on my Kindle, and, yes, every blue moon I do a search to see if I can find her. Fractional success there.

We don't know another's path or challenges. Our criticism of the small part could be a tipping point.

My challenge to all of us is to encourage rather than criticize, to listen instead of ignore, to offer kindness and a smile rather than an obscenity.

I also know YOU have amazing gifts and talents to share. Sure, you may just be starting out, but don't give up.

Be a fighter. Learn what you need to learn and SHARE your gifts.

I'll end with a beautiful quote from Helen Walton, "It's not what you gather but what you scatter..."

Scatter sunshine.

Efficiency

Efficiency: n the state or quality of being efficient (Random House Webster's)

Efficient: adj performing or functioning effectively with the least waste of time and effort

Take a good look at this envelope. I got it in the mail last week. What is so utterly bizarre about that? Check the date I mailed it. August 2014. It took over a year to be returned to me. Seems a little inefficient to me. But maybe I'm wrong. Maybe the French post decided to walk it to the ocean (Pacific or Atlantic, take your pick, it really doesn't matter), then handed it to a sailor who had decided to break some world record for sailing a dinghy around the world, sticking it in a bottle (just in case, you know, it gets knocked overboard). Let's say that was good planning on the sailor's part and eventually it drifts ashore somewhere in the Americas (North or South, either works). A Canadian Goose (I went with North), liking the color, picks it up in his beak (evidence near the stamp) and flies South for the winter. The other birds became jealous and in order to protect himself, he flips it at a white milk truck. Only it isn't a milk truck, it's my mail carrier. Hooray, it finally finds itself back on my desk. 

If I asked any one of those people/geese if they could improve the process, what would be their response? What would be your response if I asked you if you could improve your writing process, trim some things, make the process more efficient? 

Is there an area where you spend too much time? (research, FB, email, games--I'm guilty of a few of those on any given day). What can you do to make your writing time (or even your 'free' time) more efficient? Commit to one little change. Even if it's tiny. And, as always, Write On my friends.