Yoda's Word of Wisdom

Words of Wisdom from a Galaxy Long Ago and Far, Far Away
By Celestine Green

Wherever you look, you can find great quotes to inspire, empower and motivate you to live the life of your dreams and become the person you’ve always wanted to be. Take a look at some of the dialogue from George Lucas’ Star Wars Saga. You’ll find excellent guidance and/or reinforcement for writers in the words of wisdom from a galaxy far, far away.

Remember when Jedi Master Yoda cautions his young charge, Luke Skywalker, about the demands involved in becoming a Jedi warrior. “A Jedi must have the deepest commitment, the most serious mind.”

Who better exemplifies a serious mindset and high level commitment than the dauntless writer? Both warrior and writer face great challenges in an effort to succeed in his or her chosen field. Every day we face worries about creativity, clarity, accuracy, readability, voice and style just to name a few demons that nip at our heels. Don’t mention mundane items like grammar, punctuation and spelling or margins, fonts, and format. Our bodies experience back pain and eye strain, while our minds tackle stress, fatigue, and burnout. All of these difficulties lay in wait to claim the unsuspecting writer wielding the mighty pen, just as the Jedi Knight uses his trusty light saber against the forces of evil. Despite these challenges, worries, and difficulties, we demonstrate our firm commitment to our craft by continuously returning to the battlefield of the blank page. We fight on until we finish the book of our heart. For most, writing ranks right up there with breathing, eating, and sleeping. It’s who we are and what we do.

“The dark side is quicker, easier, more seductive.” Just as Yoda warned his pupil about the temptations of the dark side of the Force that seduced the infamous Darth Vadar, so too should every writer guard against distraction and procrastination. Temptations abound for the gainfully occupied singularly focused writer. Did I hear you say e-mails or the INTERNET? Sometimes even cleaning the toilet looks more interesting than struggling with the next few words of descriptive narrative, the next crucial scene, or the remaining lines of dialogue. Beware of television, movie, or other forms of entertainment that beckon and seduce. Stay focused on your daily writing goals and the overall plan you developed to ensure success.

“I won’t fail you-I’m not afraid”. Luke Skywalker tells Yoda. In his wisdom, Yoda warns him. “Oh, you will be. You will be.”

No one said that writing is easy. First drafts are hard and rewrites are harder and more painful. During the process every writer experiences doubts. At one time or other, the mind gets foggy and writer’s block sets in. You may begin to feel that your writing isn’t any good and may become paralyzed with fear. Your inner critic may tell you that you’re a fraud. But, you are compelled to write and somehow you find a way to shake off those negative feelings and overcome your fears. Regardless of critics, rejection, naysayers and the like, you will write, rejoice when you’ve finished one project and move on to the next.

Yoda teaches Luke a lasting lesson with these words: “Do or not do. There is no try.”

Fearless newbies and veteran writers enter the field of battle each day. We struggle to develop that great hook, march undaunted through the sagging middle, forge our way forward until we stumble into the black moment, and finally reach “The End”. We stay focused in less than desirable environments, noisy rooms filled with chattering voices and endless activity. Fighting our way through a mine field of conflicting schedules and deadlines, pressing family needs, erratic work hours and overwhelming responsibilities, we pay a dear price in order to derive the great personal satisfaction from seeing our words in print.

Keep in mind Master Yoda’s assertion. “What will happen…is difficult to say. Always in motion is the future.” Take the future in your hands, heed the words of wisdom from that galaxy long ago and far, far away and keep writing.