A Dash of Words with Loleta Abi Romance Author

The Writer’s Wheel 2/2/2020: Enjoying Right Where You’re At

Loleta Abi

Sometimes along our journey, we forget to enjoy right where we’re at, preferring to see what we can’t have yet (only because we’re not ready for it yet). You make think just because you don’t have anything published yet, that you’re behind everybody else. The truth is each of our journeys are different from each other.

Different, how?

Well, there are the young writers who publish right out of the gate. Then there are the middle-agers who publish maybe second, third, or fourth. And finally, there’s the senior writers who publish late in life. There’s no wrong path. Nor should we hurry to do one or another. I’m not saying that you should laze along and not reach for your dreams. We all have to fight the fight. We have to push beyond what reality is for us right now.

A Glimpse of Reality.

I started writing when I was young. Life and nightmares got in my way. I fought through all that and in 2009 started back on the path I wanted to go along in the beginning. I’ve been published in short stories and poems. I’m still working on the novel. Lately, I’m getting good feedback on my stories which I’ve heard means your close. Why didn’t I give up you wonder? Because writing is too important to me. It has my heart and it digs in deep.

Yes, there is Pain.

Every journey no matter how big or small has pain. There’s no escaping it. Rejections hurt. We think they’re saying we’re not good enough but the truth is, they’re saying, “This story’s not quite there yet.” So let the pain splinter off your flesh, you can do this! From the moment I decided to pick up my pen and begin writing, I was hooked. I had some early success. When life knocked me sideways, I picked myself up, and sludged through the storm and the rain. Now, that I’m on the other side of the cloud, I’m looking forward to what my journey has in store for me.

Yes, there is discrimination.

From the color of your skin, to your sex, to your ethnicity, it’s all out there. I hear the horror stories going around. I hear the bitterness in some people. Listen up. You don’t have to compete with anyone other than who you were as a writer yesterday. Always be working forward, pushing to do better than you did. I’m excited to see minorities getting through the gates. There has been some strong efforts by Tomi Adeyemi, Angie Thomas, Rin Chupeco, and Pintipp Dunn to name a few. There’s room for us all. I’m also grateful to see other writers with handicaps up there. V.E. Schwaab, for instance, talks about her mental health issues and that encourages me as I have that in my own background. I want to believe in the good of people, in their integrity. But, let’s face it, some don’t have it. Speaking of those individuals who’ve assaulted others. We can’t let these persons stop us. We keep going, keep standing our ground. We have greatness in us. Believe in that. Hold to your path. Let the rest fall off your shoulders.

The Blessed.

Surround yourself with positive people. Cut out the negative. Remember your dreams. Hold them in your hands. Breathe life into them.

Have a great week, take care, and God bless!