Jason Howell
asked
Ellie Lieberman:
Hi Ellie... This a question I'm asking of several writers, some friends, some strangers... Can you think of a risk you should be taking but are avoiding right now? In your writing life or otherwise? If so, what would you guess is holding you back? Why are you avoiding this risk? What's at stake? Thanks.
Ellie Lieberman
First, thank you for the question. I got stupid excited over receiving one and it truly made my day. It also stumped me for a while, trying to come up with a good answer.
When it comes to risks, I try not to think about things in terms of “should.” I try to maintain this with most aspects of my life. Whether it is trying to overcome my own psychological issues therapists would most likely have a field day with, including co-dependent tendencies of self-imposed guilt, or as Monty Python would put it “something completely different” is a tossup. That being said, going back to self-deprecation about my mental health, I tend to suffer from anxiety. This makes Eleanor Roosevelt’s quote about “Doing something every day that scares you” a constant experience that rivals breathing. There isn’t a minute in my life that doesn’t feel like some huge risk.
Writing is my only opportunity of a truly free experience. There is no worrying or anxiety or constant nail-biting, much to the relief of my inflamed cuticles. One of the compliments I received on my first story was for “going there.” I never saw anything I wrote as a risk. And, after publishing my first book, publishing my next book doesn’t feel like a risk at all.
Outside of trying my hand at horror, there isn’t much of a risk. And attempting anything scary would be more a risk for the people around me because, to be honest, I’m not that pretty of a personality when sleep deprived.
I have things on my “to-be-accomplished” list that is a huge risk, which includes driving. I’ll get there eventually like I do with most things… it will just take a longer time, but that’s normal for me.
When it comes to risks, I try not to think about things in terms of “should.” I try to maintain this with most aspects of my life. Whether it is trying to overcome my own psychological issues therapists would most likely have a field day with, including co-dependent tendencies of self-imposed guilt, or as Monty Python would put it “something completely different” is a tossup. That being said, going back to self-deprecation about my mental health, I tend to suffer from anxiety. This makes Eleanor Roosevelt’s quote about “Doing something every day that scares you” a constant experience that rivals breathing. There isn’t a minute in my life that doesn’t feel like some huge risk.
Writing is my only opportunity of a truly free experience. There is no worrying or anxiety or constant nail-biting, much to the relief of my inflamed cuticles. One of the compliments I received on my first story was for “going there.” I never saw anything I wrote as a risk. And, after publishing my first book, publishing my next book doesn’t feel like a risk at all.
Outside of trying my hand at horror, there isn’t much of a risk. And attempting anything scary would be more a risk for the people around me because, to be honest, I’m not that pretty of a personality when sleep deprived.
I have things on my “to-be-accomplished” list that is a huge risk, which includes driving. I’ll get there eventually like I do with most things… it will just take a longer time, but that’s normal for me.
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