Guest Post: It’s How I Am by Tristi Pinkston

Today I have a guest post by the fabulous Tristi Pinkston. She is awesome and I have learned a lot from her. Enjoy!

Have you ever seen addicts going through withdrawals on TV or in a movie? I don’t know if those portrayals are really accurate, but I tell you what—that whole sweating and twitching thing they do? That perfectly illustrates how I am when I don’t write. I go through withdrawals. I am an addict.

I’ve tried to quit. I really have. I’ve taken manuscripts and literally chucked them into the back of my closet. Okay, I only did that with one, but I really, literally did it. I was going to quit writing. Then I became totally, utterly miserable, and I realized that even if it was just for a few minutes a day, I had to write. It was either write, or lose my mind.

As a writer, I’m encouraged to go a little crazy. That’s how I get away with so much.

Every one of us has a passion, something that fuels us and drives us. If you stop to think about it, you’ll notice that these passions are usually creative in nature. A singer wants to create beautiful music. A painter creates art. A potter creates pottery. (Handy, that.) What is your driving force? I can bet you that you either thrive on creating something with your talents, or that you thrive on making the world a better place. We are born creators. It’s what we do. And we’re not happy unless we’re doing it.

So stop trying to fight it. Don’t throw your passion in the back of a closet and try not to think about it. You won’t win, you know. It’s stronger than you are. Dig it out, dust it off, and learn how to use it to bless your life and the lives of those around you. That’s when it all pays off—and it’s amazing.

Tristi Pinkston is the author of (soon to be) eight published novels and one cookbook. She is also a full-time freelance editor and virtual book tour coordinator. You can learn more about her at www.tristipinkston.com