Not so long ago, I took a critical look at myself, and I didn’t like what the mirror revealed. I have flabby arms. Some of you call these bat wings or fly-zones. I refer to them as dangling participles, nothing I want on me or in my writing. Now, I’m a small person, and I exercise and lift weights, but still the flabby arms persist. What was I doing wrong? Had my body become accustomed to the same exercises?
My arms look like this??
I refused to deal with the disgusting condition any longer. My commitment hit the no-turning-back level. I searched YouTube for videos guaranteed to make my arms firm and shapely. Goodness! I live in Houston where sleeveless is a fact of life.
One of the videos captured my attention. The exercises were different from others, using ballet movements. After I completed a set, my arms ached.
Thrills! By Christmas, my arms should look substantially better. I’m so very excited.
Then I sat at my computer and focused on my latest novel. I cringed. I stood and paced. The truth glared at me.
I had flabby prose. Not just an excess but lazy writing that shocked and angered me. After publishing since 1997, why did my craft sound amateurish? Had my mind grown accustomed to the same words and methods of stringing together sentences? Why wasn’t I applying what I’d learned and taught at writing conferences?
Transparency is supposed to be healing. Right now it hurts, like the exercises for my arms.
I refused to deal with my lack of professionalism any longer. My commitment hit the no-turning-back level. Just like my flabby arms were under a new conditioning program, so would be my flabby prose.
Here are 6 discoveries I made while toning my flabby prose:
1. The more I challenge my voice, the better writer I become. We writers can sometimes grow too comfortable in our word choices and body language.
2. The more I read my favorite authors’ books, the better writer I become. Characters strengthen into real and unique heroes, heroines, and villains.
3. The more quality movies I see, the better writer I become. Dialogue, setting, and body language show am amazing and credible story.
4. The more time I spend with others, the better writer I become. I learn from their lives what’s critical in today’s world, and create my stories around those needs.
5. The more passion I develop for my story and characters, the more my writing comes alive. When I can’t eat or sleep because my characters are in the midst of a problem, I have a story that is real.
6. The more time I spend in prayer, the better writer I become. The story steps from the writer zone to the infinite possibilities of the great Creator – and on to readers.
My arms and writing are getting tighter and tighter.
What is your latest challenge?
