I am a hobbbist writer. I haven’t published anything since I won a contest in grade ten. The subject then was a local country fair that has been around for ever, and is regularly featured in the social page of the newspaper. In short, as long as I didn’t drop the ‘F bomb’ I was guaranteed ink. The thought that one day I might be a writer never crossed my mind. Then I discovered that writing was a fun means of escaping vicariously into adventures. With a bit of encouragement I finished two novels and felt like I was ready to launch into the public eye. That’s when my comfort zone evaporated. Writing for personal enjoyment and for publication, in my case, are not always comfortable room mates. I can prattle away , placing script on digital slate, and if no one is going to see it then who cares. If something is going into the public realm, a wee bit of me goes on display with it.
This is where my comfort zone is challenged. At some point in my struggle to be a published author I will need to break out of my ‘C’ zone, to take risks and allow others to critique and correct. If you don’t prune a fruit tree regularly its production is stunted.
Complacency, being enshrouded in your comfort zone, is not a healthy situation for a serious writer. I’m a bit hesitant but increasingly convinced that I’ll have to risk and fail numerous times before getting to where I want to be. But… maybe just a few minutes longer in the ‘C’ zone.
For me, breaking out of my comfort zone meant taking a creative writing class–my first ever. As terrified as I was, I took the leap. Nearly two years have gone by and not only have I, for lack of better term, found myself as a writer, I have also found a core group of fellow writers that have been an endless stream of support and encouragement… and harsh criticism when needed. When you’re ready, you’ll know it, and when the time comes… don’t be afraid to take the leap. Good luck!