A Vulnerable Walk into an Author's World

Guys--my December release (the secret project we've all been waiting for!) went off to my beta readers yesterday. Gosh, it is so hard to put blood, sweat, and tears into such a tale and then send it off for feedback.

And of course now is the time my brain decides to come up with helpful tidbits of what the book needs. Gosh dang it, can't it give me a moment's break? But no-ooo.

Did that character have a full arc? Did the part I adjusted fit into the tale? WAIT--I missed a part I was meaning to add!

Honey, whatver you do, nothing is ever gonna be perfect. Yes, this is me currently speaking to my poor brain which is turning up all the things that could go wrong.

Is the relationship too much? Did I do a good job portraying good vs. bad relationships? That's what I'm all about, right? So I need to get it perfect, right?

Nope.

I've come to learn nothing worth doing will ever be perfect. This world is filled with imperfect things--from humans to art to the puppy with three legs absolutely loving life--and they are all beautiful. If we tried to make everything perfect, we would never do anything.

Guess how I know?

Social anxiety and the fear of not measuring up cost me many great friendships over the years. Waiting until the perfect timing has created mires of procrastination where I gave up on dreams. And trying to write the perfect book has caused me to nearly stop writing more times than I can count.

That's when I realized--through a very enlightening conversation with my lovely mother--that I was giving up on my masterpieces. I was letting the fear of other's opinions and my own personal fear of failure cause me to live with broken dreams.

But in all things--what can be done with the broken?

It can be mended.

My masterpieces don't have to be perfect to be beautiful in my eyes. They are my heart and soul--whether in tales on a page, figures on a canvas, a gift of my time, or a cultivated talent--and they are beautiful. No one else needs to say they are beautiful to be my masterpieces. No one else needs to give me praise in order for me to be proud of myself and where I've come from and where I am going.

And honey--its the same for you. Your creations, your voice, your loves, your joys, your masterpieces, they are yours and no one elses'. We enjoy showing them to others, we can improve our craft or talents with feedback, and we can share them with the world for the joy it brings to both sides... but we should never allow it to become their stomping ground. We would not allow someone to walk their muddy boots over the Mona Lisa, right? Then why are we allowing their opinions to mar our vision of our masterpieces?

Opinions are like taste buds--everyone's got one. Don't let their taste bud ruin your ice cream.

And so, I welcome all manner of feedback for my works, but never will I allow another's opinion to say whether or not my masterpiece is worthy. Because it is worthy in my eyes.

And the only eyes we will ever see from are our own. We can be empathetic, we can be kind, but our eyes are the only ones we will see through and our lives are the only ones we have to live.

Its time for even my most broken dreams to become the beautiful, imperfect masterpieces I know they can be.

What about yours? Is it time for them to find their wings?

Remember, you never need anyone's permission to follow your dreams, to grow, to love, nor to create your own personal masterpieces, whether you show them to anyone or they always remain close to your heart.

Make the life you love, beautiful one, and don't let anyone stand in your way. Not even yourself.

All my love,

Ava 💜⨾ଓ