by CJ Myerly, @mdippedinink
I like my comfort zone.
Comfy pajamas. Hallmark movies. Chocolate chip cookies, but don’t throw in peanut butter, because then it’s bordering on the edge of uncomfortable. I always put up a store-bought Christmas tree. I know. There’s something so romantic about real trees. Thus, why almost every Hallmark movie is complete with the hunt for the perfect Christmas tree, with the imperfections and piney scent.
Why do we love Christmas movies? As predictable as they are, the hero or heroine is always forced out of their comfort zone. And yet, I’ll happily watch them step out of their comfort zone to learn what they need to learn, but from the comfort of my couch.
I really don’t like stepping out of my comfort zone. And yet, as authors, we prod, push, and shove our characters out of their comfort zone, because that’s what they need to see what God has in store for them.
I wrote my last story in the comfort zone. When I developed my SEQ, I didn’t go deep enough, because subconsciously, I knew what that would mean for me. In the end, I had a plastic antagonist. My characters floundered. And I couldn’t get the ending right. My story was okay, but I couldn’t figure out where I went wrong. You see, I’d created my heroine with a lie that I believed, and when I wrote it, I wasn’t quite ready to step out of the comfort zone. Then, I was a little too nice to my hero and heroine. I didn’t know what was wrong.
And then at the ACFW conference, Susan May Warren went over my SEQ with me. As she did, she pulled out aspects about my hero and heroine—ones that I knew deep down were true, but wasn’t ready to face.
I was afraid to go deep.
As authors, we can’t be afraid to go deep. We can’t rest in the comfort zone. There’s nothing wrong with the comfort zone, because it gives us the breather we sometimes need. But we can’t be afraid to step out on faith that God will meet us there in those uncomfortable places. Yesterday, I wrote a scene between my hero and heroine, and it was much more real, because I forced my character to face her fear. And when she refused to do what she needed to do, I gave her a nice little shove.
Don’t stay in your comfort zone.
Go deep.
And if you aren’t ready to jump because the story resonates a little too much, don’t be afraid to give yourself a little space before writing that story.
Your story is worth opening the wounds and making yourself uncomfortable, because if you need that story, then it’s likely someone else needs that story too.
CJ Myerly lives in Texas with her husband and two children. She’s passionate about teaching and writing, which she accomplishes by homeschooling and writing contemporary romance. She has a love-hate relationship with electronics, stairs, and blank pages. CJ is an active member of the ACFW and My Book Therapy. She was a 2017 Genesis Semi-Finalist and a 2017 First Impressions Finalist. To connect with her, find her on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram