December 23, 2014

Writing About: HOPE


Break? What break? I still have two more posts to share for this year: an author interview and "The Best of Write with Fey for 2014," so if you're around...stay tuned!

This is not my traditional Writing About post that features tips and advice on different characters and scenes. If you’re looking for help on something specific, check out the list of posts I’ve done HERE.

This post is serving as my last Writing About post for 2014. But have no fear! I have more planned for 2015! :)

I’m diverting from the normal format I use though to discuss hope.

I believe hope is a driving force. Even when I’m going through a hard time (And if you read my IWSG posts, you know I’ve had many struggles this past year.), I always wrap hope around myself like Monarch butterfly wings. With hope, I am able to squash any hardships. With hope, I can persevere. With hope, I can continue to write.

If I didn’t have hope, I would’ve stopped writing after all the rejections I got for my unpublished series. (Are you tired of me referring to my supernatural-thriller series as that? I am!) But I truly believe that I wouldn’t have received the ideas for those four books if I wasn’t meant to share them. I tell all writers who feel beaten and let down by rejections the same thing.

Have hope and you will publish your stories!

Have hope and you will reach your goals for 2015!

HAVE HOPE!!!

“Hope” is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul—
And sings the tunes without the words—
And never stops—at all—“
-Emily Dickinson




QUESTION: Do you have hope?


MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!!

Here's a rock version of Carol of the Bells by August Burns Red. Enjoy! :)





46 comments:

  1. haha yeah the cat still has 8 posts left to go. Hope gets us through many a tough situation indeed

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    1. I have no idea how you can blog every day! Even with writing the posts ahead it's still a lot of work.

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  2. Great post, Chrys, and a wonderful reminder. Oh, and I still have a few more posts set to go before the end of the year, too. :)

    Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

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    1. Us bloggers are hard workers. :)

      Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, Madeline!

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  3. Yes! Without hope, there is no point or purpose.
    Merry Christmas, Chrys.

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  4. I think hope is the thing that keeps us all going.

    Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

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    1. Hope does keep us going.

      Merry Christmas, Robin! And Happy New Year!

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  5. Hi, Chrys,

    MERRY CHRISTMAS to you, too! And wishing YOU the best for 2015!

    I ALWAYS believe in HOPE... Life is tough and we need to keep on going. Without hope, we will wither and die and that is now why we were placed on this earth. We are to persevere, help one another, and give to the world the talents blessed to us.

    I LOVE your positive attitude, even after life's hardships. I, too, have had years of struggles, BUT NOW, my life has turned. I've been blessed with a new life. I am finally out of my financial crunch and I will be moving back to NY(HOME) by the end of 2015.

    This year will be truly wonderful. It doesn't take much for us to recharge out batteries. Just one little thing can ignite an inferno of good things. And that is what I wish for all of us this coming year.

    HUGS to you and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

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    1. I'm so happy that things have changed for you, Michael! And that you have a new life. I really do believe 2015 will be a wonderful year for the both of us. :) My financial struggles of ended to and hope (See, there's that word.) that I won't have to experience that trouble again. I hope the same for you! A spark of hope can surely make an inferno of good.

      Happy Holidays! Hugs!!

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  6. I think hope is a necessity for all writers. It's what fuels us and picks us up after we're rejected.

    Happy Holidays, Chrys. Though I don't take breaks from blogging either so I'm sure I'll be back before the holidays are over.

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    1. Hope sure is a necessity for all writers. Those rejections can hurt, but if we have hope we can keep on going despite them.

      Happy Holidays, Kelly!

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  7. Hope is a word that was always with me, however hope is quickly fading for my problems to be solved by Christmas.

    Most enjoyable to read.
    Merry Christmas to you.

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    1. I'm sorry that your hope is fading, Yvonne. Sometimes we have to learn that things happen for a reason and only when they are meant to. I had a hard year and kept wondering when it would change, it didn't change when I wanted it to, but it eventually did.

      Best wishes to you! Merry Christmas!

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  8. Oh, yes hope is always part of the process. Rejection is hard but hope is key to maintaining perseverance. Hope is key to keep writing and dreaming of new stories. Thanks, Chrys for all your inspirational posts and Merry Christmas! Love the rock n roll version of the song!

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    1. Hope is an amazing thing. :)

      Merry Christmas, Lisa! I'm glad you enjoyed the song. :)

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  9. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! : )

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  10. I love the story about how Pandora releases Hope, in the form of a butterfly, into the world when she opens her famous box. The butterfly alights on poor chained, tortured Prometheus, and gives him hope even when he's in such a hopeless situation.

    I also love how the word is used right before Charlie Chaplin's moving final speech in The Great Dictator. He's softly told to speak, since he's the people's only hope, and then he repeats the word before he rises and delivers that powerful four-minute message.

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    1. I love that story, too! And you retold it so well. :)

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    1. Thanks, Nick! I hope you have a great year too!

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  12. Heya Chrys, I stopped by because I wanted to make sure to wish you a Merry Christmas. I do have hope. Lots of it. I'm a born again Christian. How can I not have hope. He has pulled my Christopher through so much. Hope is what the world needs NOW! Heres to a fantabulous 2015!! xoxo

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    1. Good for you, Robyn! Merry Christmas! I hope you and Christopher have a blessed 2015!

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  13. I think writers have to have an above average store of hope and optimism, otherwise we wouldn't still be here, writing away and doing the two steps forward and one back thing every single day.

    You have such a gift for being inspiring and supportive.

    Merry Christmas, Chrys!

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    1. I agree, Colleen! Thanks for your comment and a friend through blogs.

      Merry Christmas!

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  14. I agree that writers need hope.

    Happy Christmas.

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  15. I always have hope. The overactive imagination is quite handy too. I long since gave up living in the past and I know the future is what I make it. What matters is now and how we perceive it. I like my now.

    Have a wonderful Christmas and a hopeful new year.

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    1. I like my now, too. :)

      Merry Christmas, FI! I hope you have a wonderful 2015!

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  16. Merry Christmas! This is the season of hope!

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  17. loved this Chrys, I have hope :) even if my book didn't sell this year I have hope for the book I'm writing now, and for the first book! I can't give up :)

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    1. Nope, never give up! I have hope for your books, Beth. :)

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  18. I'm not sure if what I have is hope. It may just be gas.

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  19. Happy holidays, Chrys! And yes, I do bear hope for 2015. Have a good one. :)

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    1. Happy Holidays, Claudine! I hope you 2015 holds much happiness for you! :)

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  20. Here's to never losing hope! Happy holidays, Chrys! :)

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  21. Oh, yes! Absolutely. Without hope I don't think we'd get out of bed in the morning. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, Chrys!

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    1. It sure would be a lot harder.

      Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, Quanie! :D

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