By Lauri Schoenfeld
A few years back, I read The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, coming home from a road trip, wondering why I’ve never stumbled upon this book before. I needed a new perspective, a different outlook, and his words sang to my heart. I felt them. They resonated with me. My highlighter couldn’t go fast enough as I colored page after page of some of my favorite paragraphs. Ones I have come back and read again. I’m not sure if he knew when he was writing this book that it would have this impact, but it changed me!
I always have a plan set in motion in my personal life, knowing exactly where I’m going to go. I can see it, feel it, and even breathe the excitement of the next chapter. Until life happens and a bump in the road leaves me flying on the asphalt. I promise you, that’s never in my agenda for my story as I know that’s not in yours either. That’s the thing with life—much like writing a book—it never entirely goes the way you start planning it to be.
As writers, editors, and creatives, we get discouraged that a section needs to be redone once again. It’s a cycle, the rewrites of life as you will. But, somewhere along with the many edits and revisions, our story transforms, and we grow along with it. We learn new ways and techniques that we wouldn’t have seen before if we hadn’t changed our perspective and tried again. We sit down at the desk after long hours of re-working a scene and keep going even when it’s tough because deep down, we know that we’ll come out better for what we’ve written. It won’t break us even when it feels that it just might. It won’t.
Something deep within us longs to write this story, and even with all the challenging parts, we know that there’s light at the end of the tunnel—a purpose for the shifts that we must make. There are moments that we need reinforcements to come in and help guide us to a place that demands some love and attention so we can progress and grow.
Isn’t that what life’s all about? Hitting the ground and asking ourselves, “How are you going to create your story now?” It forces us to either stay put or to stand up and get back in. To re-write that book that we’re so sure about. Only this time, to have grace in understanding how it needs to be written to gain the most clarity for ourselves and the readers. We must always be willing to be teachable, to listen to our inner voice, and draw from those around us whom we trust and know have our best interest at heart.
Our stories in life and writing are ours. There’ll be bumps, shifts, changes, tears, and many doubts. But, every step will lead us to be the writers and humans we need to become. None of our experiences are the same. That’s the beautiful thing. We create the chapters. I’m excited to read yours and have you read mine. What will you make of your story?