Ask the Author: Jerald Simon
Answered Questions (6)
Jerald Simon
I like to write it out like a problem solver would try to work it out. If something is not going the way I hope it will, I will write words down in random and disconnected and often disorganized sentences and paragraphs that, at first, don't seem to work together until I try them out of context. Sometimes I write a story to help me work on a poem I am trying to finish and at other times I will try to close my eyes and let my imagination take control and direct me. Sometimes when writer's block has blockaded every seemingly viable route then it's good to get out and have fun. Taking a hike with the family or going out to eat with family and friends can often bring specific sentences to my mind and even lend itself to future plots and story lines. Everything we do on a daily basis and everyone with whom we interact can inspire us and help us see a new story that needs to be shared. Others inspire me and motivate me to be better. Sometimes I am so focused on myself that the best thing I can do is get away from myself, so to speak, and let others lead me and guid me to greater experiences that are waiting for me if I am willing to open my eyes and see.
Jerald Simon
For me personally, I love creating a message. It might be a message of hope or a cautionary tale of warning that things cannot remain as they are. I believe that change is necessary for growth and improvement. We do not remain as we are - we get better or sometimes we fall back and do not improve. During these, hopefully, brief moments in life, we can realize that we don't want to digress but progress. I love writing what inspires and motivates me. I try to write words I need to hear that help me overcome the day to day obstacles I face in life. I'm not perfect nor will I ever be perfect. Every minute I have in mortality is an opportunity to make a difference in my own life and in the life of others around me. As a writer, I hope to share what I am learning, struggling with, experiencing, overcoming, how I am trying to improve and be better, and how we all can strive to learn and grow for the better. I work from home writing books and writing music and love being able to be with my family and experience life with my children. I think as a writer we all have a great challenge to share what we write with others and hope that what we have written will help others in some way. We want to lighten the mood, bring a smile to someone's face, enlighten, educate, empower, and entertain those around us. We paint picturesque portraits of the world around us as we see it. We share with others our thoughts, ideas, feelings, pains, sorrows, heartache, hopes, dreams, fantasies, fears, nightmares, and needs. In doing so, we share ourselves with others and invite them into our lives as they invite us into theirs. We connect with each other because we become connected in a world-wide web of wonderful memories and meaningful moments that change the way we see the world and the way we live life!
Jerald Simon
My advice for inspiring writers is to write as much as you can as often as you can. Writing is personal and it is a window to the soul. It allows others to examine an individual on a much deeper and more intimate level. Through writing we can come to know what the author thinks, believes, imagines, fears, hopes, dreams, creates, and even destroys. We can see the good and the bad. Writing is painting with words - creating magnificent and beautiful worlds that only exist in our minds. It is how we can bridge the gap between what we can see and what we can imagine. Write hundreds and even thousands of stories. You may not bet satisfied with your first few attempts, which is true for all writers. Understand that re-writing, re-doing, and re-working stories is not a set back or a failure, it is a learning experience. I am continually learning and striving to be better with my own writing. We each are on our own epic journey or creating what we long to say. Everyone everywhere has a story to share. We each have a book within us that we alone can write and distribute to the world. It is our masterpiece and it is a part of us as we are a part of it. It is important to learn about form, technique, and structure, content, wordage, phraseology, etc. But even more important than learning and mastering the craft of writing - which we all are struggling to do - is to learn to connect with the stories, poetry, parables, histories, and emotional energy of the books of life. Connect with people. Share personal experiences. Make the stories your own and tell them in such a way that everyone who hears or reads your messages change and become better for having listened to or read what you and you alone can share with them!
Jerald Simon
Right now I have several books that I am finishing. I am always coming out with new music books on my website at: http://musicmotivation.com/musicbooks... and am currently finishing two poetry books. One book is a book of motivational poetry and the other is a book of fun, silly poems similar in style to Shel Silverstein or Dr. Seus. I will also be finishing a goal book that is a "life manual" I am creating for teenage and young adults to help give them direction and find out who they are and what they would like to be and become in life. The book is designed more as a work book where they can write out monthly and weekly goals, personal strengths, weaknesses, and life descriptions about who they would like to be and what their personal mission is in life.
Jerald Simon
For me, inspiration is something that comes with much perspiration. I have had a few moments in my life when I knew the words I was writing were not my own, the lyrics and musical score I was creating was coming to me and through me. They were given to me that I might share them, but the melodies, harmonies, and words - either for the music, poetry, lyrics, or inspirational stories - came to me so quickly that I had to write as fast I could to keep up with what I being inspired to participate in and create. These moments were magical and divine delights. That, for me, is not the norm. More often than not I receive my inspiration from others. People inspire me to strive to be better and continually do my best. I try to see goodness in everyone and in every situation. When I see all the goodness that exists in the world, I am moved to write and share - based on the great examples around me - what my mind imagines, and what my heart feels. I am so grateful for so many amazing people, past and present, who motivate me to want to learn as much as I can and experience as much I am able to so that I can hopefully share that inspiration with others. I enjoy and prefer writing motivational poetry, inspirational stories, parables, and meaningful messages that hopefully remind us all that we are not alone and can help each other experience life to the fullest. When I see another's success and experience the enjoyment that others share with me, then I feel motivated to be my best and learn as much as I can to strive to be better. I am not there by any means. I often feel like I never will be, but as I continue to learn and grow, I hope I can share with others what I have learned and we can all progress together knowing that we can strengthen each other and help each other out. It is a blessing to be with each other and learn from each other.
Jerald Simon
My most recent book, "Perceptions, Parables, and Pointers" is a motivational book I have been writing since high school. This book has been in the works for almost 20 years. The inspiration for wanting to write this book began, for me, when I was 8 years old and fell off a 50 foot cliff.
Here is an excerpt from the book that explains that experience a little and how I have always wanted to "get back up" when I fell down.
Much of what has motivated me and pushed me forward in life is based on what I tell my children almost daily: “When we fall down, we GET BACK UP!” If you say the first part to my children, “When we fall down”, they all automatically respond with “WE GET BACK UP!” This encompasses not only physical falls, but mental, emotional, spiritual, financial, and all different kinds of “falls”. This ideology began when I was eight years old and had fallen off of a 50 foot cliff. I cracked my head open and the doctors lodged a total of 26 staples in my scalp. I endured seizures for the next year, as well as frequent doctor visits, CAT scans, and MRIs. As a result of the fall, I have no memory of my life before the accident. It is a miracle I am alive and was not paralyzed. After my fall from the cliff, I resolved that each day would be a new birth for me regardless of how many times I would fall down, both literally and metaphorically. It helped me see that life is precious. It is a gift and should be cherished. It helped me to evaluate my priorities and focus more intently on what matters most. Now, we don’t need to fall off a 50 foot cliff to get sense knocked into us, but we all need to continually have reminders and even wake up calls that help us refocus our energy into the best life has to offer us. We all fall down, metaphorically, and make mistakes. We may do poorly on a school or work assignment. As a result, we may feel we don’t measure up. We may feel like failures as parents, and worry that others criticize us. We might feel depressed and even apathetic toward life. At times we may feel unsure, insecure, afraid, and doubt our own abilities, potential, and future. What must happen when we fall down emotionally, spiritually, financially, and even socially? We must GET BACK UP! Throughout this book, I have written my own perceptions on life. These are motivational tips and ideas to help each of us improve and strive to be better today than we were yesterday. This book, for me, is a manual of what I would share with my younger self. It is what I would encourage myself to think and strive to become. It is something to turn to for those times when we have been beaten by the bullies of life. Life is full of intricate and unforseeable twists and turns. The ups and downs can take their toll. The focus, however, must be on our potential and possibility! If we can believe in ourselves and hope for the best within us and within others as well, then we can commit to do and be our best. We can strive to be better because we choose to look for the best in life. Yes, there are discouraging days and moments of madness when everything that could go wrong will go wrong. That is life. We don’t need to enjoy it, but when those dark days get us down, we can always GET BACK UP! It may be difficult, but it is worth it. It may take time, but is imperative to realize that we can improve and change. We cannot give up on ourselves!
Here is an excerpt from the book that explains that experience a little and how I have always wanted to "get back up" when I fell down.
Much of what has motivated me and pushed me forward in life is based on what I tell my children almost daily: “When we fall down, we GET BACK UP!” If you say the first part to my children, “When we fall down”, they all automatically respond with “WE GET BACK UP!” This encompasses not only physical falls, but mental, emotional, spiritual, financial, and all different kinds of “falls”. This ideology began when I was eight years old and had fallen off of a 50 foot cliff. I cracked my head open and the doctors lodged a total of 26 staples in my scalp. I endured seizures for the next year, as well as frequent doctor visits, CAT scans, and MRIs. As a result of the fall, I have no memory of my life before the accident. It is a miracle I am alive and was not paralyzed. After my fall from the cliff, I resolved that each day would be a new birth for me regardless of how many times I would fall down, both literally and metaphorically. It helped me see that life is precious. It is a gift and should be cherished. It helped me to evaluate my priorities and focus more intently on what matters most. Now, we don’t need to fall off a 50 foot cliff to get sense knocked into us, but we all need to continually have reminders and even wake up calls that help us refocus our energy into the best life has to offer us. We all fall down, metaphorically, and make mistakes. We may do poorly on a school or work assignment. As a result, we may feel we don’t measure up. We may feel like failures as parents, and worry that others criticize us. We might feel depressed and even apathetic toward life. At times we may feel unsure, insecure, afraid, and doubt our own abilities, potential, and future. What must happen when we fall down emotionally, spiritually, financially, and even socially? We must GET BACK UP! Throughout this book, I have written my own perceptions on life. These are motivational tips and ideas to help each of us improve and strive to be better today than we were yesterday. This book, for me, is a manual of what I would share with my younger self. It is what I would encourage myself to think and strive to become. It is something to turn to for those times when we have been beaten by the bullies of life. Life is full of intricate and unforseeable twists and turns. The ups and downs can take their toll. The focus, however, must be on our potential and possibility! If we can believe in ourselves and hope for the best within us and within others as well, then we can commit to do and be our best. We can strive to be better because we choose to look for the best in life. Yes, there are discouraging days and moments of madness when everything that could go wrong will go wrong. That is life. We don’t need to enjoy it, but when those dark days get us down, we can always GET BACK UP! It may be difficult, but it is worth it. It may take time, but is imperative to realize that we can improve and change. We cannot give up on ourselves!
About Goodreads Q&A
Ask and answer questions about books!
You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.
See Featured Authors Answering Questions
Learn more