OP-ED | Of Reading & Writing
Illuminating the Way to Become a Better Writer with Composure
Shit happens, swallow the bitter pill, speak your mind, most importantly, keep moving.
Dear Writers,
No matter what happens, stay composed.
That is easier said to be done, am I right? Yet, deep down, we know this is the correct thing to learn, the right thing to do.
We run off to meditation, Me — Time, digital detox, boxing classes, writing classes, trading academies seeking to bring ourselves to the next level. And the funny thing is, we get crushed by those around us with all sorts of better results, perceived or actual.
Tell me I am not alone.
I did feel moments of anguish and negativity affecting my work last week. Missing the top bonus payout and going back and forth with writers submitting stories without copyright-free images got me as an editor for ILLUMINATION.
But.
But I forgot stories I had written months ago just got highlighted today. I forgot that I had a good run last month in terms of earnings. I conveniently forgot that one of the stories got featured as editor’s pick in a publication I have pursued for months.
Months, folks. Not days, not nights.
It came to me this morning that I needed to learn and re-learn composure. I say re-learn because I know all this stuff. When emotions come to attack, however, the natural response did not kick in.
You may feel down once in a while because your submission got denied entry.
You know, shit happens. Same for me, same to you.
In times like these, stay calm. Have faith in your work, and continuously read from others and steal improvement from the way they write.
I have 4 stories to recommend this week.
The Obvious Lessons to Re-Learn
We know what we have to do.
We just forgot them in the heat of the moment. Upon reflection, we sigh for our lack of composure. You are not alone.
These are the 4 lessons we have to continuously re-learn to become a composed writer.
The first obvious lesson to re-learn:
Victory and defeat run along a time dimension. Time takes its own course.
“As the opposite of defeat, victory is likewise slowly, partially, or utterly gained. Like defeat, most victories in life are slow or partial in nature. There are times when we may want to accept defeat, but this is usually not the case, at least not for something important to us.”
Bill Abbate | How to View Defeat and Victory in Life in a Better Way
This is the second obvious lesson to re-learn:
Speak everyday English to the common folk, and learn when to continue engagement or disengage.
It sucks to speak enthusiastically to a wall.
“If you have ever had the pleasure of talking to a creationist, a flat-earther, or an anti-VAX, you’ve probably noticed that no matter how rational your argument is, how many facts you put on the table and how much evidence there is in your favor, they just won’t buy it.”
Alberto Guerrero | Why You Should Never Use Facts to Get Your Point Across
This is one of the best introductions I have ever read this week. Well done, Alberto!
This is the third lesson to re-learn:
Closing our minds when we are depressed, angry, and consumed by negativity is an animal reflex. It is pre-programmed into our brain.
Still, we have to remind ourselves from time to time to be open-minded.
“To be open-minded is to be receptive to new ideas, information, and arguments. In a world that constantly changes, being able to step outside one’s comfort zone while leaving room for varying perspectives is important.”
Yewande Adeleke | Being Open-Minded Is One of The Greatest Attributes of A Good Writer
We do it because we believe in self-improvement.
This is the fourth lesson to re-learn:
This is a simple one. Go with the flow.
“Somehow I found myself going off at a tangent that came at me from nowhere. Rather than fight the narrative to get it back onto my original line of thinking, I decided to run with it to see where it wanted to go.”
When you run out of ideas and what to write, run with your creativity and see where it brings you.
It brought Liam $500.
Not too shabby, eh.
Summary
I hope you enjoyed this editorial op-ed.
We don’t always have our best day. The best thing to do is to stay composed. It is not easy, and it is a valuable life lesson to learn and re-learn.
We will bounce back.
Happy Writing, People.
Aldric
Dr Mehmet Yildiz Liam Ireland Terry L. Cooper Karen Madej Agnes Laurens Claire Kelly Carol Price Tree Langdon Dr. Preeti Singh Josh Balerite Acol Geetika Sethi Noorain Hassan, BMS The Maverick Files Britni Pepper Esther George Zen Chan
As a content contributor, I write my observations from daily life and my business exposure. Because our life experience is the bedrock of our unique perspectives.
