Living vicariously...through YOU? #IWSG

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Do you embark on dangerous missions? Do you wield a sword or rob banks? Me neither. We writers usually leave that sort of thing to the pros...our characters.

On the other hand, my hubby is a risk-taker. He does barrel rolls on his Sky Ski, and jumps triples off the diving board. For his recent birthday, he did a tandem jump out of an airplane.

People may assume I live vicariously through him, but I don't. I have no desire to do those things. Not even a little. My bucket list includes tamer options, like visiting Alaska and Mount Rushmore.

As I watched my hubby hurtle toward the ocean at 120 miles per hour, an idea hit me: some writers may live vicariously through other people, and even through their characters. But what if other people are living vicariously through you, the writer?

Yes, you.

Imagine all the folks out there who want to write down their thoughts, but don't. Or wish they could share stories, but think they can't.

If you're putting words on the page, or on the screen, or in a blog post, you're doing what other people wished they would do. If you've gathered the courage to submit your work, or if you've taken the leap into indie publishing, you're putting your heart and soul out there for others to read and offer judgement. That takes a parachute full of courage.

The next time you feel as if you don't have guts, or that everyone else is wild and adventurous, remember this: others are watching you. They may even be inspired by you. And maybe, just maybe, someone is living vicariously through you.

(Here's my hubby on his tandem jump)

Are you a risk taker? Do you live vicariously through someone else? Or do you feel like someone else lives vicariously through you? Have you ever jumped out of an airplane? Is it on your bucket list?

Writers, YOU are courageous!

This was originally posted last summer, but I thought we could all use a reminder!

Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says I'll try again tomorrow.~Mary Anne Radmacher

I've learned that writers are courageous people.

• If you've taken an idea, fleshed it out, then put it on paper, you're courageous
• If you've poured your heart and soul into a story, you're courageous
• If you've finished a manuscript, you're courageous
• If you've offered up your work for review and critique, you're courageous
• If you've typed a query letter and clicked send, you're courageous
• If you've dropped a manuscript in the mail, you're courageous
• If you've received rejections, yet continued to have faith in and submit your work, you're courageous

Is there anything you'd like to add to the list?

In the words of John Wayne, "Courage is being scared to death...and saddling up anyway."

You, my writer friends, are very brave indeed!

photo credit

The Grinch Who Stole Confidence

My confidence sparkled beneath my tree

The words kept me going, and helped me believe

It was wrapped up all pretty and tied with a bow

"You can do it, You're Awesome, Yay, Way to Go!"

Faith in my writing soon disappeared

Replaced with belief that my words were all weird

The chatter grew louder, it banged in my head

The Grinch stole my pluck, left my writing for dead

"Back away, Grinch!" I shouted with verve

"You can't take my faith, nor my courage and nerve!"

"I'll fall, to be sure, that's part of the game.

What you're doing is cruel, and your costume is lame."

He slipped up my chimney, scurried out like a mouse

I kept his cute doggie, cuz hey, it's my house

Words peeked through his bag, dumped without care

"You'd better not quit. No, don't you dare."

And so writer friends, shouldn't we know?

Hang tight to your confidence, don't let it go!

Has the Grinch ever stolen your confidence?

How did you snatch it back from the green beast?

photo credit

YOU are courageous!

Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says I'll try again tomorrow.~Mary Anne Radmacher

I've learned that writers are courageous people.

• If you've taken an idea, fleshed it out, then put it on paper, you're courageous
• If you've poured your heart and soul into a story, you're courageous
• If you've finished a manuscript, you're courageous
• If you've offered up your work for review and critique, you're courageous
• If you've typed a query letter and clicked send, you're courageous
• If you've dropped a manuscript in the mail, you're courageous
• If you've received rejections, yet continued to have faith in and submit your work, you're courageous

Is there anything you'd like to add to the list?

In the words of John Wayne, "Courage is being scared to death...and saddling up anyway."

You, my writer friends, are very brave indeed!

photo credit: photobucket.com