On Writing: Thoughts On Jordin Sparks (or Writing Like a Superstar)

Yeah, I know... Jordin Sparks, last season's American Idol--What does that have to do with writing? For those of you still abstaining from one of the biggest reality TV shows in America, let me give you a little background on Miss Sparks...

Long before her elevation to the show, she'd been an Idol fan. In an interview on the show, she talked about how she'd watched previous seasons longing to try out, planning for the year when she was finally old enough to do it. And so she did. And she won!

Here's the thing, though. We all know tons of people tried out for the show. Tons. Probably others who had dreamed of having their shot at stardom in the AI spotlight. But there's only one winner. What if she'd looked at those odds and decided they were stacked against her. What if she'd been too afraid of the criticism? Of Simon Cowell's straightforward, no sugar feedback on her performances?

The point is that she stepped out, pursued her dream, even if it made her look totally ridiculous. She went for it.

When the contest was down to Jordin and Blake, both sang the song "This Is My Now." Watching Jordin sing that song was like seeing into her heart for a moment. The song so clearly exemplified the struggle and the excitement of her journey to that very moment. Her dream was right before her. She stepped out, right into it.

Anyway, same deal for writing. If it's in your heart to be a writer, run after it. Be Jordin Sparks, and don't let your fears get in your way. Over and over I watched her accept the critique of the American Idol judges with maturity and humility. She was committed to learn and grow from her experience. So just like her, keep learning. Learn from other writers, from sharing your writing with people who will give you honest critique, from reading, from writing.

And on those days when you inevitably feel like one of those other contestants-- the ones whose auditions are actually painful to watch and make you wonder who besides dear Mama told that boy he could sing-- just stop and take a deep breath.

Go for the gold.