Retain Some Mystery
by S.V. Farnsworth
Cast not the windows of your soul too wide,
Lest the winds of this Earth steal the very heat from your blood.
Retain some mystery,
For more renowned than Anonymous endures The Mona Lisa.
Novelists bare their souls in their books, but it is fiction. You and I get to know each other here, there, and everywhere. You decide if you like me from my picture, my name, or a little chit chat, but you can only grow to respect me by reading my work.
I’m not going to over share. There are some things about me you will never know. You may guess, but I won’t tell. I am none of my characters, and in a way, I am all of them.
My advice to anyone is to retain some mystery. Know who you are, give everything to your work without reservation, and make rules. You need to decide what you want from each avenue of communication you open. Be personable, not personal.
Many writers take criticism of their work personally. I don’t. I take it seriously. I consider it. I improve my skills. I own my work.
I write for myself. I edit for you. Editing takes longer, much longer because earning a reader’s respect is hard.
I like to say the first draft is for me and the final draft is for you. Today’s publishing world is changing. It’s too easy to be out there and go nowhere. Put forth the effort to be timeless. Readers who value your work will pay for it.
I’m writing book four of an Epic Fantasy series, Woman of the Stone in November during www.nanowrimo.org. A sample chapter of book one is available on my website https://sites.google.com/site/svfarnsworth/home/sample . I hope you enjoy reading it.
Poetry can be very introspective. I think you’ve made a good decision to maintain balance.
Thank you for reading the post, Sharon. You are a wonderful poet, and I enjoy reading your work. Let’s keep on writing.