Of Inner Muses, Boxes, and Preserving Who We Are…

“…For two years I tried fitting into a box and I almost lost myself. I finally decided that I’m good enough. …”

“…Perhaps I’m weird. But I have never tried to sell my work [to a commercial publisher] I have never tried to get a [book] deal since I’ve been writing. I’ve had people to say, ‘If you do this, this and this, I can tell this one. I’ve thanked them, but I’m guided by my inner muse. If that is going to happen [commercial contract come my way] then it will happen. I’m on a different path. I can’t define it any better than that.”

—Angelia Menchan, author of  “Ramblings,” “Schae’s Story,” “Is No Not Clear Enough for You?“,“Mrs. Black?”, and publisher of the anthology, Women’s Writes,

Visit Angelia’s blogs, Angelia Vernon Menchan, Write or Die Woman, and Angel08.How many of us have the strength to craft a story in the early stages without concern of an audience or who will read it, rather to lose ourselves in the process of getting the words on the page, remain committed to painting the mosaic of our words on the blank screen or blank notebook?

This is not to say that identifying a target audience to whom we will promote and market our work.

But the absence of a well-developed product target makes moot the discussion of an audience.

Often in writing, as with many arts, we do as the old folks say, put the cart before the horse.

While book covers and methods for creating a buzz, gaining the attention of readers requires our attention and holds a central importance in getting our writings into the hands of readers, many novice and more experienced writer/authors and publishers forget that what we offer readers is two fundamental things: entertainment and knowledge.

The Internet marketing class in which I am presently participating emphasizes that people come to the Internet seeking one of 2, things, if not both.

They want information and entertainment. One teacher puts it more bluntly.

People log onto and surf the Internet to either gain entertainment and/or information, and/or to stop the pain.

Accessing both, or either entertainment, or information can and does often alleviate pain.

During Saturday’s interview of Angelia, she stated of her blogs and writing, “My blog is something that just happened. …My writing is a form of therapy and a ministry.”

Angelia novels and stories certainly provide an escape for the readers.

But also like her blogs they offer information that not unlike what mentors share with those they are coaching and facilitating to find their path of joy and passion.

Angelia writing on the 3 blog/websites she maintains serve as perfect promotion and marketing opportunities that allow and enable her to discover and delineate those who want to hear what she has to say–i.e. her target audience.

Passion.

Joy.

Giving.

Healing.

These words, and more describe Angelia’s work.

And yet the bedrock of all that she does and provides lies in her writing–writing that she has never consciously sough to promote through seeking the interest of a literary agent or commercial publisher.

Is she mad?

Or perhaps ahead of her time?

I go with the latter.

She’s certainly mentoring me.

We don’t always have to lose ourselves to discover our identity.

Sometimes we have to accept, and embrace what is present.

In this way we preserve the gift of who we are.