Caroline Starr Rose

picture book and middle-grade author

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Writing Smart and Not Scared: More Words from Isabel Allende

7 Comments

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After I heard Isabel Allende talk at the KiMo Theater, Valerie Geary emailed me her favorite Allende quote about the writing life: “Fear is inevitable, I have to accept that, but I cannot allow it to paralyze me.”

I find it interesting that Allende has only recently learned to “go easily with confidence” when it comes to her writing. “If I sit long enough, it will happen,” she says. She’s twenty-one novels in, but only recently has she realized she has a skill. Now she knows “If given enough time, I can write almost anything.”

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Knowing even Isabel Allende lives with the discomfort of creativity gives me courage to keep pressing forward with my own work. Fear can come along for the ride, but must stay in the back seat.

It can’t drive. It’s not allowed to paralyze.

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Filed Under: authors, encouragement, the writing life

Comments

  1. Sarah M says

    December 2, 2015 at 9:42 am

    Wow. Wonderful encouragement! Thank you for sharing.
    Sarah M

    Reply
  2. Faith Hough says

    December 2, 2015 at 12:06 pm

    So good! Isn’t recognizing fear 95% of working past it?

    Reply
    • Caroline says

      December 2, 2015 at 2:53 pm

      Too bad it likes coming back so much!!

      Reply
  3. Tracy Holczer says

    December 2, 2015 at 2:40 pm

    Perfect.

    Reply
  4. Kimberley Griffiths Little says

    December 3, 2015 at 8:49 am

    Thank you for these great quotes! xo

    Reply
  5. pragmaticmom says

    December 3, 2015 at 12:41 pm

    I love your posts on writing! I am taking it all in, trying to get going! 🙂

    Reply
    • Caroline says

      December 3, 2015 at 8:24 pm

      Step by step. Bird by bird.

      Reply

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