...  Publishing Emerging Writers   ...

Opt-In Publication for Author-Me.com (23rd year)

Welcome! - To subscribe to this newsletter, please register here: https://www.elbowspace.com/secure/20080202163451129073

Please visit our Facebook sites: author-me.com and reservebooks.com

Welcome to former Subscribers of Apky Newsletter

Comment Boxes on Author-Me.com. If you have published on author-me, check the comment box under your text.

============================================================

In This issue...The Story That Traps Us—And How We Rewrite It By Muli wa Kyendo

============================================================

Creative writers often chase plot twists, character arcs, and climactic revelations. But what if the most gripping story of all is the one unfolding inside us—the silent battle between authenticity and approval, and the oppressive anxiety that can arise when we chase belonging in places that do not honor us?... (continued below)

Note: As of May 30, 2025, this newsletter ("Publishing New Writers") has overe 15,000 subscribers on Linkedin.com

The Story That Traps Us—And How We Rewrite It

by Muli wa Kyendo (Kenya)

Creative writers often chase plot twists, character arcs, and climactic revelations. But what if the most gripping story of all is the one unfolding inside us—the silent battle between authenticity and approval, and the oppressive anxiety that can arise when we chase belonging in places that do not honor us?

Many of us have experienced it: the impulse to please others, even those who’ve shown they don’t mean well. It’s a tension that resembles a well-worn manuscript: predictable, emotionally exhausting, and yet difficult to put down.

To reshape this narrative, we must understand the mechanics behind it.

Plot: The Story's Outer Shell

In storytelling terms, the plot is the visible layer—the actions, settings, and interactions.

• Characters: The people whose approval you crave—parents, peers, editors, audiences.

• Setting: Environments where rejection feels dangerous—family tables, social media, publishing meetings.

• Conflict: The tug-of-war between your voice and their expectations.

• Climax: The moment you realize you’re losing yourself to stay accepted. • Resolution: Reclaiming the pen—and rewriting the script.

This plotline, when repeated, traps writers and creatives in what mythologist Joseph Campbell might call a false quest—a journey that circles back to powerlessness instead of transformation.

Arc: The Invisible Anatomy

While the plot grabs attention, the arc does the sacred work. It’s the emotional, psychological, or spiritual evolution that breathes meaning into every scene.

• The descent marks the abandonment of self in favour of others’ approval.

• The turning point begins with sacred rage—a recognition that their goodwill is not good at all.

• The return beckons with rituals of remembrance: journaling, storytelling, cultural traditions that reconnect you to your roots.

• The integration is the act of living in alignment with the reclaimed self—boundaries drawn, stories retold, voice restored.

This arc is not just healing—it’s generative. When writers explore this internal journey, they unlock stories that move beyond aesthetics into soul truth. The myth of “I must be liked to be safe” transforms into “I am safe when I honor my truth.”

In the end, rewriting the inner arc doesn’t just heal you—it gifts your readers a mirror through which they might glimpse their own homecoming.

Real life example: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

In her Maya Angelou’s autobiographical novel, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Angelou uses her autobiography to explore subjects such as identity, rape, racism, and literacy. Maya, the younger version of Angelou and the book's central character, has been called "a symbolic character for every black girl growing up in America"

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/story-traps-usand-how-we-rewrite-bruce-cook-lneec

Visit our sister web sites..

http://www.author-me.com/

We have developed world peace websites:

www.wwpo.org

www.icpglobal.org

Publishing New Writers,

May, 2025 (vol. 26, no. 5)

Publisher:

Dr. Bruce L. Cook
1407 Getzelman Drive
Elgin, IL 60123

Submissions/comments Send mail Links and article submissions are welcome. To subscribe and/or  review our archive of past newsletters, go to

http://www.author-me.com/newslist.htm