You Are Incomparable

The subject of comparing yourself to others has been pressed upon my heart lately.  As a writer with a heart for encouraging others, I recently penned an article inspiring women to embrace their own uniqueness, rather than focusing on how they fail to measure up to their peers. In a society that says you should be a certain size, have a particular social and economic status, and obtain success by a certain age, it can be discouraging when the reality of your life fails to meet the world's standards of a "good life". This often causes one to become insecure in who they are, and feelings of inferiority creep in and produce low self-esteem.  More often than not, the person experiencing these feelings believe they need to conform to what others do in order to obtain the life they have. This also happens in the professional world. When I first started out as a writer, I compared myself to those who, in my eyes, were much better than me.  I became so discouraged, and almost gave up on my dream, simply because I believed that I would never measure up to other prolific writers. However, there were a few things I failed to remember, but, once reminded, helped me to take my focus off of how I didn't measure up to my colleagues, onto how I wasn't designed to be compared to anyone else. I want to share what I discovered with you. You were created in God's image, not man's.  Therefore, it is not necessary that you measure up to anyone else.  You are to be a reflection of Him; not a carbon-copy of your peers. Your gifts, talents, and purpose is unique to God's design for your life.  Though you may share similar gifts and talents as others, the overall plan for how the Lord will use what He has implanted within you differs completely. God sets the time-table for your life, not the time-frame of the accomplishments of others.  Your career will sky-rocket in God's perfect timing.  As long as you are walking in His will to the best of your knowledge and ability, and putting in the necessary work, He will promote you according to His perfect plan for your life.  To everything there is a season; don't despise small beginnings.  If the Lord placed a dream in your heart, He will bring it to manifestation.  Trust that He will provide you with everything you need to birth the vision He's given YOU. Everything about you, including your professional journey, is incomparable.  It's great to pull inspiration and glean wisdom from others, but at the end of the day, you must follow the unique path God has for you - which is neither superior nor inferior to that of anyone else. "Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that...Don't compare yourself with others."  ~Galatians 6:4, The Message~ NOTE:  LRC Editing would love to speak with you about your writing journey, and is now offering FREE 20-minute consultations. Email me at LCollins@LRCEditing.com to schedule your appointment. Happy Writing!

The Writer's 10 Commandments

There is tons of information out there informing writers of things they should do to establish themselves in the industry, but I find that there isn't much buzz about what writers should NOT do.  So, to help inform you of some things I believe would hinder, or be detrimental, to building your writing career, I have comprised a quick list I call The Writer's 10 Commandments.

If you are serious about becoming a successful writer, you should try not to do the following things:

1.  Thou shall not publish any work without a thorough edit. Grammatical errors, poor sentence structure, and improper punctuation will turn readers, or publishers, away. A good edit makes all the difference.

2.  Thou shall not write using someone else's voice. Be true to your own voice.

3.  Thou shall not make excuses. Excuses get you nowhere. 

4.  Thou shall not procrastinate. Procrastination produces nothing but lost time.

5. Thou shall not listen to the voice in your head. It will always tell you you're not good enough.

6.  Thou shall not compare yourself to other writers.  Everything about you is unique.

7.  Thou shall not fail to educate yourself on your craft. Knowledge is power, and the internet is filled with free, valuable information accessible to all. If you don't know, learn. 

8.  Thou shall not miss deadlines. Professionalism respects promptness.

9.  Thou shall not give in to fear. You can do all things through Christ who gives you strength. Place your confidence in Him.

10. Thou shall not give up on your dream. As it is said, winners never quit; quitters never win. 

Happy writing!

10 Questions Every Writer Should Ask Themselves

I have comprised a list of questions I believe every writer should ask themselves before launching out into the writing industry.  Being truthful about your answers to these particular questions will make you more aware of your strengths and challenges, and help you zone in, and work towards improving in those areas where you aren't fully confident.

I have answered these questions on several occasions, and my honest answers always reveal my true passion towards my writing career.  Hopefully, they will do the same for you.

1. Why do I write?
2. Who do I write for?
3. Do I take myself seriously as a writer?
4. What are my short and long term goals as a writer?
5. Because a writing career requires discipline, am I self-disciplined enough to set and reach goals on my own? If not, what am I willing to do to become more disciplined?
6. Am I passionate enough about being a writer to motivate myself during rough patches?
7. Can I handle rejection?
8. What am I willing to do, and/or sacrifice, to grow and develop as a writer?
9. Am I committed to being a writer for the long haul, or am I just exploring a hobby?
10. Do I have a writing mentor?

Grab your journal, and take a moment to answer these questions.  You'll be surprised at how your answers will help you along your writing journey.

Happy Writing!

LaKeisha Rainey-Collins