Letter to Me (Episode 5)

Good afternoon, my Lovelies!

I come to you today from the exquisite shade of my front porch. It is absolutely beautiful here today and I couldn't resist the urge to load up all my equipment and park myself on my bench to do some work. I have my laptop, my phone, my various other accouterments that are necessary for my writing, and my Route 44 Diet Cherry Limeaid from Sonic.

Life is good!

If you've been following me for a while or if you've taken the plunge and gone back and read some of my old blogs, you will remember me doing a series called "Letter to Me" based off of the song by Brad Paisley. If you haven't read them, scroll on back and give them a looky-loo. They're honest. They're touching. They're eye-opening. (Wow, I can really talk myself up when I want to.) Most of all, they're a reminder to me to never take a single moment for granted, to never give up, and to seize the day because you never know what tomorrow might bring.

(There's also another small series called "Shell's Chronicles of Dumbass-ery" which is quite entertaining. I may revisit that soon, too.)

Anyway... Here we go!

Dear fifteen-year-old me:

I need you to pick up that pen, grab a notebook, and start writing. Write down your dreams - daydreams as well as those crazy (and sometimes psychotic) nighttime dreams. You've written poems and short stories for a long time now and you need to keep going. Write your poems. Write your random thoughts. Write whatever craziness pops into your mind. It's going to be extremely important one day. Trust me.

You have amazing and beautiful stories floating around in your head and people need to know them. They can't do that if you don't write them down. You have a wonderfully vivid imagination and you need to share it with the world.

You need to start now filling notebook after notebook so that one day you can pull those out and re-work the stories, expand them, and turn them into books for others to enjoy.

Every one of your English teachers throughout high school and college will comment on your writing and how skillful you are. Take their advice and continue honing your craft. Even the stories that don't eventually get turned into books are helpful because they give you practice and exercise your skill and imagination.

Don't sell yourself short. One day people will truly want to read the words you write and will get excited when you release your stories. Yes, one day you will have a fan base and it is going to blow your mind. No, it won't be anything that happens overnight, but it will happen.

Try not to be scared to put yourself out there. I know it takes a huge leap of faith to share the most intimate parts of your soul, but your readers will love it and your honesty and integrity will help to draw them to you.

Be open. Be honest. Be crazy. Be loving and caring. Be sinful and funny and intelligent. (You know, all those amazing things that you truly are...) It will shine through your work and your fans will appreciate it and you very much.

One more thing before I go.

Be happy. 

You deserve it.

Until next time and as always,

Much love and beautifully crafted stories from me to you,

Shelly (a/k/a Dawn Love)

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