Passive Voice

Every writer knows that using passive voice is a no no. So why do I keep doing it in my story? Is it symbolic of my inner world? Am I feeling powerless? Am I unable to control myself? Am I actually a passive and ineffectual person? Can I not bring change to my self, to my writing, to my world?

Ah ha. There's the issue.

Late last night, just before I went to bed, I read a FaceBook posting by a friend of mine. She said she was nursing a migraine and she attributed it to Election Stress. "Hey!" I thought, "Me too!" And then I hobbled and limped all the way to bed, gingerly holding my head between my hands. I felt defeated. I felt small. I felt powerless to stop the negativity and fear that is circling our country like a vulture.

This is a hard time for a romantic like me. I mean, what if there isn't a happy ending with the presidential election? Like many of us, I find myself at a crisis point. I need an epiphany! So - in hopes of achieving an epiphany or at the very least an endorphin rush - I took my pain wracked body out the door this morning and went for a jog. My body still hurts but I do feel better overall. And I did have an epiphany of sorts. A few of them even.

• Epiphany One: There is no such thing as a perfect epiphany. Elation is elusive.
  
• Epiphany Two: Jogging with your dog is really nice.
• Epiphany Three: My life is good and I am happy. I practice happiness as a form of service to the universe.
  
• Epiphany Four: I believe in - and I write about - goodness and happiness and joy. That in itself is a form of worship. I actively worship hope. I am not passive and I will immediately rewrite all unnecessarily passive sentences in my novel.
• Ephiphany Five: Love conquers all. No matter what.

Let's all try to remember Epiphany Five. Keep your hope alive, your hearts open, and keep believing. Take the risk. I promise it will have a happy ending. No matter what.

- LC