Kate Heartwright's Blog: Dreams to Reality

During the last two years of spring observations of my own, a pair of mourning doves attempts to build a nest in what they consider the perfect spot - the support corner of my porch. It is sheltered, hard for other creatures to get at it, and within easy food supply (i.e., the bird feeder). This works beautifully until the first strong wind storm with a bit of rain comes through, and the nest goes soaring in the flowerbed below.

Some years they try again; other years, they go to their 2nd favorite spot, on the opposite corner of the house. It also is sheltered and hard to get at, but it is further from the bird feeder, and it is easier for other creatures to reach them.

I believe this idea applies to all animals, people included. Whether this is a house, food, relationships, jobs, careers, vacation choices, or even book genre, people have a "perfect space." They are happy and content in their "perfect space" until some external force causes them to move. I might relate it this way easily because I sometimes need to have something external force me to readjust and reconsider.

Those ideas are often part of what shapes new writing, whether it is a blog post, a short story, or much longer. Fiction or non-fictional. It is how I make sense of my world in a broader sense.

This also means that I know that my writing touches some people, and others have no interest based on the subject matter or even the way I write. Our lives would be infinitely less colorful if we all enjoyed the same "perfect" and had fewer choices.

How do you adapt to your 2nd choice? Easily, less easily, or is it a struggle? The more I recognize my lessons being learned, the better I am in the 2nd choice of adapting. In my non-fiction chapter in Calling All Earth Angels & Healers, I discuss how I have created a new thought process around these 2nd choice feelings of unease. It is all about learning, intuitively following a choice, adapting to the choice, and forward to success.

One of the biggest challenges that any writer faces is to step out of the school learned writing of and write what your soul asks you. In Soul Journey, I did exactly that. I didn't view myself as a fiction writer; I had some "pretty" imposter syndrome hanging out when I thought too much. Fiction novels were my escape into a different world, time, dimension, and reality when I felt overwhelmed with life.

Could I actually write fiction? Gulp. And yet, that is what my soul was asking me to do - write about my main character and introduce her to the world. There is a much larger story than this one chapter; in fact, large enough that I feel a little intimidated to write it in some ways.

However, as an editor, I talk to my clients about writing from their soul on a regular basis. I know how to step into my soul writing. I know how to put my words on the page; and how to get out of my own way.

What matters is that a story is presented for the people who are meant to read it. Not everyone is going to love what you wrote, or even the style that you write. That is okay. There are a few billion people on the planet, and you may only have one person you are meant to touch with your story.

Embrace that idea.
Take the chance.
Let your soul light shine through.
And come on a Soul Journey.