By Tamara D. Fickas
Sometimes the story falters and the words refuse to come. They bottleneck inside your brain and tangle until it’s as hopeless as Christmas lights that were so neat and orderly last year.
In those moments, as the tale wanders off the page and down a dark alley where you fear to tread, it’s easy to give up. It wasn’t meant to be. Wouldn’t a real writer would grab that story by its shirttails and pull it back on track? Someone more worthy of the task would tuck the laptop under their arm and head to some place writerly. They’d order a venti double shot of courage and sit down to convince the story to behave and act proper.
A fake writer would walk away. They’d wring their hands and lament the lack of words. Tell people who’d listen about how they used to write beautiful things. How their life had meaning.
That was until the words became the enemy.
Until the fight was stomped right out of them by the hard days.
Have you ever been there? Feeling like a fake writer?
I have. The urge to give up is strong. Especially if you’re new to the writing world. Or your dream agent just isn’t interested. Or you’ve entered contest after contest without even a hint of success.
A fake writer would take those lies of the enemy and wrap them around their heart until the hurt is muffled, and the fear can’t be heard. Then they’d find something new to focus on. Something that won’t hurt so much.
But the real writer inside the fake writer will whisper back to the fear.
You can’t do this to me.
I’m stronger than you are.
And when the ugly prose wads up its fists and bullies a real-fake writer, that writer will speak a little louder. Give a little push.
The snares and traps will fall away from the real-fake writer once they remember and take a stand. They will shout, “God gave me this gift, you can’t have it.”
A real writer will shed the cloak of lies and walk away stronger. She will not let the story get lost. God is counting on her to let loose His words into the world. A real writer will remember the enemy wants her to feel fake so that God’s plans are thwarted. A real writer will stand strong with God and the words He gives her.
Where are you today?
Maybe you’re feeling strong and you have confidence to fight the enemies that show up.
But if you’re not? If you fear you’re the fake writer that is overcome by the battle, don’t give up. Keep fighting. You write – that makes you a real writer. God will use the words you write. It may not seem like it right now, but He will. You just have to show up and trust the real writer in you.
Tamara Fickas – Christian, storyteller, writer, speaker, encourager. She lives near the beautiful Rocky Mountains with her beloved kitty boy, Wilson. When not writing she loves adventures, time with her dad, reading, and making people laugh. Life experiences, her vivid imagination, coffee, and Hot Tamales fuel her writing. www.tamaradfickas.com