Katherine Nichols Author

I’m old enough to remember Elizabeth Taylor, with her impressive cleavage, whispering to the camera, “Passion, I see, is catching.” The campaign for cologne of the same name caught on quickly and the perfume is still on the shelves. Probably only English teachers and Shakespeare nerds know the line is from the play Julius Caesar and has more to do with upcoming blood-thirsty revenge than it does with sexy women.

As an aspiring writer, I assumed passion was the fuel that kept me going. And that was what I planned to write about. After a brief exploration of the concept of passion, my story—like much of my writing—took an unexpected detour.

I’ve sat through enough high school graduations and celebrity presentations to know that the idea of following your passion is widely embraced. As Oprah says, if you follow your passion, it will lead to your purpose.

But does it really? Take Nashville, for example. Thousands of struggling musicians travel to this country music mecca every year. You can’t toss a cowboy hat without hitting one of these incredibly talented performers. They are all following their passions. But how many of them will follow it to the Grand Ole Opry?

The same is true for writers. Every day, agents and editors reject brilliant manuscripts. Reasons include everything from the sheer volume of submissions to turn-over in publication houses or the timing just isn’t right.

So, what makes people continue to follow their passion despite setbacks and disappointments?

If you’re of the Vincent Van Gogh school of thought, it’s because you’d “rather die of passion than of boredom.” But he kind of flipped and cut off his ear, so there’s that.

Morten Hansen, a professor at UC Berkeley, believes passion without purpose is difficult to sustain. He says passion is for the benefit of the individual. Purpose is what we do for others. A focused outward purpose fuels passion.

Musicians, artists, writers, gardeners, designers keep perfecting their art because they want others to see their work. They need for it to evoke emotions, ideas, and actions. Like Picasso, they believe the meaning of life is to find your gift or passion. The purpose of life is to give it away.

When I began writing this newsletter, I planned to encourage my readers to consider what they’re passionate about. I hoped they would ask their children what brings them joy and pave the way for those children to follow their passions regardless of how often they might change.

Now I would urge people to dig deeper and consider their purpose. To ask themselves how they will use their gifts to add good to the world.

Will they, like my friend Kim Conrey author of You’re Not a Murderer, You Just Have Harm OCD, acquaint readers with this brutal condition and offer hope to those who suffer from it? Or like another good friend Gaby Anderson, will they tell a powerful story of the dual lives of first- generation American citizens (South of Happily)?

You don’t have to identify as a writer or painter or classical pianist to celebrate your purpose. Those who offer encouragement or an unsolicited kind word often shed more light in the world than a work of art. Teachers give so much of themselves to guide students toward their purposes. Volunteers at homeless shelters, mentors, tired moms and dads—all turn their passion outward to affect positive change in others. The list goes on and on.

If you don’t think you’re on it, think again.

My passion is writing. My purpose is to share relatable stories that could offer comfort to readers in situations like the ones my characters face. I’m not talking about the dangerous scenarios with guns and explosives. I’m talking about human connections. In The Sometime Sister, Grace Burnette is tormented because she didn’t get the chance to forgive a lost loved one. The Substitute Sister picks up Grace’s narrative and expands the idea of family. In The Unreliables, unimaginable loss haunts the heroine, blurring the line between sanity and insanity. Trust Issues features the interaction between mother and daughter versus grandmother and granddaughter. False Claims explores the idea of acceptance and love.

My favorite quote, one that applies not only to writers but also to anyone with a message they want to share, is by D.H. Lawrence.

“Be still when you have nothing to say; when genuine passion moves you, say what you’ve got to say, and say it hot.”

The dead of winter is a difficult time to fan the flames of passion. John Wesley said, “Light yourself on fire with passion and people will come from miles to watch you burn.” In this weather, I suspect people would come strictly for the heat.

If you’re looking for some events to warm you up, check out the following links.

January 27,​ The Sunshine Book Festival​

February 9-11 ​The Georgia Writers Museum​

April 6-7 ​The Carrollton Book Festival​

April 27, Celebrate Independent Bookstore Day at ​The Book Exchange,​ Marietta. Details to follow.