2021- The Year Of Writing From the Heart

January 2, 2021

A New Year's Message:

I decided to take a break from the content I usually write about in my blog and address a topic that I seldom get to write about. Here it goes:

Writing from the heart takes more courage than simply writing what you know or what someone else wants you to write. The heart is a source of vibrant truth and honesty if we allow it to express itself openly. What many writers are afraid of is criticism. Fear of criticism reminds me of the words from world renowned guitarist and musician extraordinaire Pete Townsend: “If you don't want anyone to know anything about you, don't write anything.”

Our desire to feel a part of something often-times hinders our progress in ways that could potentially help others. Not that there’s anything wrong with fulfilling a desire to please others; however, we must keep things in context. We should consistently remind ourselves that “who we are depends upon what we think about ourselves, not what others think.”

The desire to be a part of something bigger than ourselves is more of a celestial calling and must be heeded with wisdom. C.K. Webb says: “I eat, breath and sleep and that makes me like everyone else. When I write, I become something much greater than flesh & bone; something that will stay behind long after that part of me is gone. Writing makes me special, readers make me everlasting.”

Seeking fulfillment at the mercy of your dignity is a sure road to unfulfillment. Regardless of what you write about, maintain your integrity. Make readers feel your content whether it's about the latest remote software, how to dig-up earth worms, or how to choose the best backsplash for your kitchen.

In fact, writing from the heart is much like using keywords. They are simply an indication of "how readers feel" about a particular thing. By using the right keyword/s, you embrace the "heart" of the reader.

I stumbled upon a treatise of wonderful quotes dealing with writing from the heart at this site. Here are a few of my favorites:

“Don’t write what you know—what you know may bore you, and thus bore your readers. Write about what interests you—and interests you deeply—and your readers will catch fire at your words.” -Valerie Sherwood “Dance above the surface of the world. Let your thoughts lift you into creativity that is not hampered by opinion.” ― Red Haircrow “Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart.” ― William Wordsworth “I can't write to please everyone, but someone, somewhere will be touched if I put my heart into it.” ― Sara Winters “Stories are the collective wisdom of everyone who has ever lived. Your job as a storyteller is not simply to entertain. Nor is it to be noticed for the way you turn a phrase. You have a very important job--one of the most important. Your job is to let people know that everyone shares their feelings--and that these feelings bind us. Your job is a healing art, and like all healers, you have a responsibility. Let people know they are not alone. You must make people understand that we are all the same.” ― Brian McDonald, The Golden Theme: How to Make Your Writing Appeal to the Highest Common Denominator “I used to be afraid about what people might say or think after reading what I had written. I am not afraid anymore, because when I write, I am not trying to prove anything to anyone, I am just expressing myself and my opinions. It’s ok if my opinions are different from those of the reader, each of us can have his own opinions. So writing is like talking, if you are afraid of writing, you may end up being afraid of talking” ― Bangambiki Habyarimana, Pearls Of Eternity “Personal accounts flow from the heart and tend to be the most difficult to write. It's nearly impossible to remove the emotional undertones, and it takes so much courage to open those pages to everyone else.” ― Javier A. Robayo

“Good writing ideas don’t have to be about political turmoil, mass killings, capitalism, racism, injustice, and so on. Find that one idea that has deep roots in your heart.” ― Pawan Mishra, On Writing Wonderfully: The Craft of Creative Fiction Writing “For that is what you are, that is who you are – you are an author. You cannot cease to write any more than you can cease to breathe...This difficult season will pass – your eyes and mind will inevitably be opened once more to the wealth of ideas all around you...And even if the ideas around you fall short of what you seek – even if, as you say, you have not the heart to write… perhaps it is your heart you ought to write of. - Laurie to Jo, on writing” ― Trix Wilkins, The Courtship of Jo March: a variation of Louisa May Alcott's Little Women “Writing from the heart takes courage, but do it anyway.” -DebD

Wishing you a prosperous and joyous 2021. May all your writing aspirations come to fruition. Good Luck!