I recently got a good lesson
in walking the talk.
As a huge advocate of stepping
outside of one's comfort zone, I encourage other writers to try it – write in a
new genre, do something that's a little scary (Read at an open mic? Apply for a
grant? Attend a conference?). In addition, I urge writers – and everyone really
who is interested in developing their craft and/or career– to say YES. Yes to new
and perhaps offbeat opportunities and invitations that come one's way. Not yes
to everything, of course, but to those things that may help us stretch, enhance
our skills, widen our connections – and who knows, maybe have some fun.
Because I dish out this
kind of advice, I try to model it; in fact, it was because I adopted this mindset
during my MFA program, that I advocate it at all. Back then, I said yes to a
lot of things I might have otherwise dismissed as too time-consuming, too
difficult, too outside my comfort zone.
I'm not always successful, but when I get a chance, I try to practice
what I preach – and do it like I mean it.
Early in January, an
editor I know asked me to write a short chapter about working with a
ghostwriter, for a book she was compiling, in which some 70 professionals would
be giving tips and advice to business owners. This was something I felt
comfortable doing, and because I want to grow the ghostwriting end of my
business, I said yes, that I would be happy to do it. A few weeks later, she invited me to appear
in a video featuring several of the chapter writers, each speaking for 90
seconds about their topic. Whoa. So. Not. Happy. I said no way, thanks anyway, but
no.
She asked me not to say
no quite so quickly, to think about it.
The timing coincided
with Boot
Camp where the focus those two weeks – in materials which I of course had written
– was on encouraging the 14 writers in the class to get out of their comfort
zones, to say YES.
Ahem.
So I spent some time,
during a longish car drive, trying to figure out why I was so automatically opposed
to the video invitation. It didn't take long:
I hate having my picture taken (and a recent spate of video chats only
reconfirmed my fear of video). It would take place on a Saturday that was
already crammed with other work and family obligations. The only photo of
myself that I like is the one here on the blog, taken during a shoot for an
Oprah magazine essay, when professional make-up and hair experts were on
hand. And, I am profoundly uncomfortable writing for video, especially with a strict
90 second limit.
I had to get tough with
myself and ignore the weekend timing; I could work it out, after all. But the
rest still stopped me, especially the scriptwriting part. Then I remembered
something I tell my kids to ask themselves when they are stumped: Is
there anyone I know well who can help me?
There was. I asked my
17-year-son, who is a host and sports analyst for his high school radio station, and
who has taken a summer sports broadcasting program for four years, to help
write the script. I gave him my chapter to read, and he banged out a good
rough draft in five minutes; we edited together, and then he helped me rehearse,
and get the timing right.
Finally, I came up with
a way to deal with the camera issue, and called the editor to see if she and
the videographer would be willing to shoot me in deep shadow, since after all I
would be talking about ghostwriters
(sample line: "If I do my job right, you won't be able to see me on the
page either.") They agreed.
Perhaps these were not
the very best creative solutions, and
yes, I know the witness-protection angle may be a little bit corny. I may get hives when I see myself in the final video. But I was
pleased that I had been able to work around my discomfort and to say YES.
I had a little fun, too. That's allowed, right?
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