The story inside the story is usually hidden behind a well-planned path. Each chapter opens with a gust of movement, begging you to keep going. What happens next, you wonder as you carry forward another page. The midnight hour chimes from the grandfather clock, the fire crackles, and the candles flicker with heated flames.
The stories you read form a part of your soul, and they enter your mind and build fortresses against stress, worry, and real-life issues. Sometimes, they give you a sense of peace, others a great mystery.
My walk-through at Barnes and Noble usually helps me look at writer’s gems and find the task of writing daunting. Many writers from time’s past sat in front of a blank screen or notepad and wondered if they’d get through the murky waters of writing during difficult days.
I face this each time I sit to write my book.
I am writing a nonfiction book based on my experience with thoughts and feelings, the things that help us mature and have healthy relationships. Why does it become difficult to write?
I wondered aloud tonight about the words I read. My brain is trained to find the tidbits of knowledge to use them in my work. What can I use to help me be a better person? I’d wonder as I read page after page of nonfiction self-help, psychology-based, personal development books of all kinds.
The elusive hunt kept me buying, sharing, and reading. After all, in my teen years, I’d devoured enough historical romance to sink a ship or two. I needed the meat of life and actual words to keep me focused and engaged in the work of living, teaching, and guiding people.
Is there something in the stories that will help me polish up my book, so I can send it into the world of readers?
What about burnout?
Life with nonfiction is good, and I will never discourage anyone from reading real-life books to help them grow. However, there comes a time to drop the constant mental struggle to be better today than yesterday. We strive, and the striving gets us exhausted. We want to stop the mind from the madness of constant go, do, or think about work, career, clients, and personal growth.
When we unplug from electronic sources, we genuinely give our brains a break. Too much phone, television, computer, iPad, or other electronic device distracts us from the present moment.
What did fiction teach me tonight?
I found the idea rose to the surface, which helped me think about the story. I tend to search for gems in nonfiction. After a pause, I returned to the book and reread the sentence. The story is there; find the treasures of the story, not the gems to help you grow. Find the plot, the plan, the dream of the protagonist.
Whether you choose to read fiction or stay within the nonfiction route, you’ll do good to explore the freedom of expression in the written word. Even reading nonfiction stories without so much dialogue can help you think outside of the box of the self-help world.
For instance, the book, A Most Remarkable Creature by Jonathan Meiburg created a story about his adventures in studying birds. The book keeps you interested, and the dialogue is minimal. You can’t go wrong shifting a paradigm by reading this style of the book.
There is hope for those who want to cease the endless self-help research and reads. You can break your habit, read something outside the box, and give your brain a break. You can’t constantly fill your mind with information because your brain will become exhausted, and you’ll stop retaining the data.
Find spots in your day to add poetry, prose, creative fiction, real-life nonfiction into your read time. Your brain will feel weird at first, and gradually you’ll begin to get your sea-legs of non-personal growth style readings.
Everything will make more sense with a break. You’ll return refreshed and ready to pursue more, with a brain ready to read.
—
Previously Published on medium
You Might Also Like These From The Good Men Project
Compliments Men Want to Hear More Often | Relationships Aren’t Easy, But They’re Worth It | The One Thing Men Want More Than Sex | ..A Man’s Kiss Tells You Everything |
Join The Good Men Project as a Premium Member today.
All Premium Members get to view The Good Men Project with NO ADS.
A $50 annual membership gives you an all access pass. You can be a part of every call, group, class and community.
A $25 annual membership gives you access to one class, one Social Interest group and our online communities.
A $12 annual membership gives you access to our Friday calls with the publisher, our online community.
Register New Account
Need more info? A complete list of benefits is here.
—
Photo credit: iStock