How
To Only Share Your
Written Gems, Not The Rough
by
Elizabeth Van Tassel
How do you let your heart show through in your writing
without being overly vulnerable? Here are four tips for your next writing
adventure.
Tip#1
Write in the Zone
Whether you’re a morning or evening person, your best
writing will develop during that time of day. I’m a morning person, so I rise
with the sun to begin my creative efforts. If you work with your natural
rhythm, your writing will improve and your messages will have more impact.
Tip #2
Stay on Brand
To write from a place of abundance, and not feel drained,
stay true to your message. Your branding should be central to what you are
called to write, and as an expert, you have a lot to say about it. When you get
dragged off track, it can be tiring and your message will be less effective
than if you remain on target.
Tip #3
Leave the Baggage Behind
When being vulnerable, write about events that you can share
something emotionally constructive. People need your insights, so be careful
about baggage. I’m able to write about losing all my possessions and about
emergencies our family has been through, including my husband’s stroke, the
child we lost to miscarriage, and my other son being in the hospital and almost
dying because years have passed and I’ve been able to see God’s faithfulness in
that timeline.
Once
you’ve encountered God’s faithfulness, you may better reflect moments that are
painful and life changing. You can bring that essence forward for your audience
with authenticity. You can’t have lasting impact unless you’re already
personally transformed, like a gem.
Tip #4
Don’t Touch If It’s Hot
If a recent experience hurts too much, consider writing for
yourself at first. For example, in my fiction, I want kids to avoid traps I’ve
experienced. A character in my fantasy is a double agent. I developed her after
I dealt with someone who I trusted very much but turned out to be a bit
poisonous, so that is part of this character. I was careful to process what had
happened before inserting the lessons. Like colors on a canvas, the pain of
that experience has informed my double-agent’s vibrancy, believability,
intrigue, and texture.
Share
Only the Gems
In the jewelry world, we use an example of an unpolished gem
vs. a polished gem. An unpolished gem has great potential but might only look
like a rock. Whereas when you see a polished gem, all the beauty shines
through. The facets are there, it’s reflecting light, and you can see the color
or colorlessness depending on the gem. The same is true for your writing. If
you aren’t quite ready to offer it to the world, that’s okay. Put it in a file,
save it. But don’t give anyone an unpolished gem. Give them your very best and
it will reflect well on you.
Have
you ever written when life’s been a bit too raw? Have you successfully
incorporated difficult life-lessons into your work? What was the result?
About the Author:
 |
| Elizabeth Van Tassel |
As a graduate gemologist, Elizabeth Van Tassel has the expertise to bring gem mysteries to
life in kids’ imaginations. Her experience as a wildfire survivor and her
perseverance through her family’s medical trials lends depth to her characters’
similar challenges. As a coach and youth enthusiast, she teaches real-life
lessons to help tweens, teens, and their parents build a treasure box of tools
to face the hardest parts of life. Her background selling jewelry, corporate
writing experience, and love for history bring a special flair to her speaking,
classes, and fiction and nonfiction writing. And she just finished the first of
a fantasy series for tweens featuring an ancient Viking gem mystery with a
modern twist.
You can connect with Elizabeth at www.ElizabethVanTassel.com and
learn how to Live A Resilient Life!™ Sign
up for weekly blogs with tips about being resilient there, and updates about
her future website for kids and novels. Find her on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube,
Pinterest, and LinkedIn.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ElizVanTassel
You Tube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbfGSIRoGjwywnyAto0IQKA
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/evtgemgirl/
