SOMETHING that happens to many writers is to discuss a plot or story line, before they’ve written it. The first thing that happens in such a discussion is that you have given the other person leave to shoot down something brilliant, before it has taken shape on paper. Also you will definitely hear opinions that are from minds that may not be as creative as yours.
“What do you think of this idea?” you ask. “I don’t know,” says a friend looking at you like he’s seen an alien, “has anybody thought of it before?” “No” you say uncomfortably. “Then you better forget about it! It’s not worth your time or effort!”
But if you know it’s a good idea, keep writing! This happens to sometimes to plays I’ve written, and the more the ‘no’s, the more I dig in! People love tearing apart a good idea. The world loves saying ‘no’ to anything they cannot comprehend. What you need to do is to be so firm about your idea that all the ‘no’s in the world will not be able to pull it down.
Let there be a cacophony of ‘no’s’ from your friends, loved ones and even from well wishers but with tenacity and determination go forth with a ‘yes’ on your lips and in your mind.
When Henry Ward Beecher was a young boy in school, he learned a lesson in self-confidence, which he never forgot. He was called upon to recite in front of the class. He had hardly begun when the teacher interrupted with an emphatic, “No!” He started over and again the teacher thundered, “No!”
Humiliated, Henry sat down. The next boy rose to recite and had just begun when the teacher shouted, “No!” This student, however, kept on with the recitation until he completed it. As he sat down, the teacher responded, “Very good!” Henry was irritated. “I recited just as he did,” he complained to the teacher.
The teacher replied, “It is not enough to know your lesson, but you must also be sure. When you allowed me to stop you, it meant that you were uncertain. If all the world says, ‘No!” it is your business to say, ‘Yes!’ and prove it.”The world says, “No!” in a thousand ways: “No! You can’t do that.” “No! You are wrong.” “No! You are too old.” “No! You are too young.” “No! You are too weak.” “No! You aren’t a writer.” “No! You don’t have the education.” “No! You don’t have the background.” “No! You don’t have the money.” “No! It can’t be done.”
And each “No!” you hear has the potential to erode your confidence bit by bit trying to make you quit altogether. But today decide, though the world says, “No!” to you, you will determine to say, “Yes!” and prove it? Say ‘Yes’ today to what everyone is saying ‘no’ to..!
