The Struggle Within

Within me a war rages, a fight between dark and light.

The thoughts beat on me like the drum of war.

I’m breaking under the pressure that comes with the night.

I can’t seem to pull myself out of the fight.

I write and I write and I write, trying to break open the door.

Within me a war rages, a fight between dark and light.

But the blows keep coming; everything is flashing white.

I know I’ll black out if there’s much more.

The cynical voices cut me down like swords but I fight with all my might.

I try to block out their words but I know they’re right.

“You will never be good enough,” they roar.

Within me a war rages, a fight between dark and light.

I shake my head and stand at my full height.

They try to break me, cut me to the very core.

The cynical voices cut me down like swords but I fight with all my might.

I know who I am despite the words that bite

And I will keep fighting through the angry downpour.

Within me a war rages, a fight between dark and light.

The cynical voices cut me down like swords but I fight with all my might.

Bolder Words: A Guide to Brave Writing

This was taken during a vacation in California. The words read "Once upon a..."  

 The world of a writer is a world full of struggles and doubts. To be a writer is to expose the faults of men so that they may better themselves. To be a writer is to put your soul down on paper with the hopes that instead of mocking it the world will celebrate what you have to say and to teach. That is no simple task.

Of course, the writer must be brave but it isn't always easy to find that kind of courage. Many writers become what are known as "closet writers". They write fantastic stories, weave words together beautifully, but their fear overtakes them and so their writing remains secret, hidden from the world. During my high school years, this was the kind of writer I was. I was determined to someday publish a novel but at the same time I was terrified of being rejected. Today, my hope is to help those closet writers to find the courage to write boldly and to send your brave words off into the world.

It takes a great deal of courage to share any sort of writing, let alone the kind of writing this world needs so desperately. Your duty as a writer is to not only let your very soul shine through your writing but to speak boldly of the things the world needs to hear, words that only you can give. So, with that in mind, I would like to share my own advice of how you might find the bold words within you. Here is my advice:

1. Write for yourself.

This is unbelievably important. Yes, if you want to be very successful, you will have to write for more than just yourself. However, if you only write for others, the things you are passionate about may be lacking in your writing. Here's my solution: first write for yourself, then rewrite for your potential audience. Revisions will help you figure out what works and what doesn't without constricting your passion.

2. Get a thick skin.

I'm not going to lie to you. Getting something out in the world is a lot of hard, brutal work. You'll be shot down more than once. But if you let it get to you, you'll never get anything published. Forget about what all those other people think. They're wrong. You have just as much chance of being the next J. K. Rowling as anyone else. 

3. Be brave in everything you do.

Bravery doesn't come naturally to all of us. Don't let that stop you. Practice bravery in everything you do. You've got to put yourself out there, even if that absolutely terrifies you. The more you practice being brave, the more naturally it will feel. You'll be able to write bravely and say what you think rather than what you think you should say.

So that's all I've got for today. Write for yourself, get a thick skin, and be brave in everything you do. Find your voice and don't be afraid to shout. I challenge all you closet writers to share what you have to say with the world. You never know what it could do for someone.

Questions? Comments? Don't be afraid to ask me anything!

The Words That Make Up Me: 20 Facts

Hi Everyone,
I'm Brittany Oldroyd, a slightly eccentric blogger and a very passionate writer. At the time of writing this blog post, I'm 21 (almost anyway) and the author of a novel called Segolia: Daughter of Prophecy. I'm about to go into my second year of college (yahoo!) and work my way closer to a degree in English Literature (with an emphasis on Professional Writing).
With this blog, THE WORDS THAT WHISPER, I hope to teach writers about writing, let my fans get to know me, share works in progress, and share my experiences in college and in life. And to start this off, I have 20 facts about me as a sort of get-to-know-you post. So, without further ado, introducing The Words That Make Up Me: 20 Facts:

1. I absolutely HATE it when people say they suck at something or that they can't do something (I could rant about it all day).

2. Rain instantly makes me in a good mood.

3. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it when people call me crazy or insane.

4. My favorite word is monotonous (because it isn't monotonous at all).

5. I have no idea what I want to do with my semi-useless major once I graduate (I might change it since Creative Writing is limited in what I can do with it).

6. I am completely OBSESSED with Lord of the Rings.

7.  I lost everything I had written of Segolia: Daughter of Prophecy in a truck fire that made me have to start over on the whole thing.

8. I'm the oldest of seven kids.

9. I'm a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (a.k.a. I'm Mormon).

10. I love stargazing but I have never seen a shooting star before.

11. I HATE snow.

12. I love kick boxing.

13. I've only had caffeine once and it made me sick to my stomach.

14. I get what I call writing "epiphanies" when I either pace back and forth or sit on a couch upside down (both help me think when I am stuck).

15. I LOVE irony.

16. I love film scores, especially for superhero and inspirational movies (and of course LOTR).

17. My favorite color is sunset orange.

18. My favorite book changes on pretty much a daily basis (because I read a book almost every day).

19. Misspelled words and grammar errors drive me nuts.

20. My face hurts on almost a daily basis from smiling.

Okay, so that's me for you. Thanks for reading and hope to hear from you. 

What do you think about my 20 facts? Anybody have some in common with me? Leave a comment!