I have a friend. He’s kinda wise. Every once in awhile he leaves supportive comments on this blog. Yesterday we emailed a few rounds back-and-forth.
He wrote this:
Also, I just have to say after catching up on reading your blog posts: hang in there. Yes, you want to get published and you want this to be your career, but this is also about the journey getting there. I have complete confidence that your perseverance will be rewarded. Like I’ve said before, this is the first big test.
In response to my reponse that in the day-to-day, the journey isn’t always what it’s cracked up to be (come on, let’s be honest; true, isn’t it?), he wrote this:
It’s kind of like climbing a mountain. A lot of the steps along the way are painful and not what you’d call fun, but occasionally you turn around and say, “wow, look how far I’ve come!”
He’s right, of course.
0 comments on “My Wise Friend”
Great advice!
If only I’d remember it more often on my moody days!
Ah, the old “it’s the journey” bit of wisdom. I think I remind myself of this every day. The longing to have that book-in-hand, to be able to spend the majority of time writing rather than wage-slaving, sometimes it’s too intense. Recently, I had the realization that my dream had become my addiction. The belief that “if only” I published that novel, I would be ok, in that dreamy, golden future that never seems to arrive. I’d be Worthy. Not a loser. But if I think I’m ok now, Will this derail my passion? Or will it allow me to enjoy the damn journey? Sorry, didn’t mean to get all pontificatey. Hi Lisa! Glad we reconnected.
Thanks for dropping in, Christina! Great to see you Friday night. And no worries, I like pontificatey.
You bring up good and sticky questions (and I’m telling you, you’d no doubt do a good blog because I’m certain you’ve got tons of interesting perspectives!).
Personally, I think you need to give yourself more of a hand: Everyone who’s read you knows you’re a wonderful writer. You keep winning awards for one thing…Too bad so much of getting published is luck.
However, since luck plays a part, none of are really losers, are we?
P.S. By any chance is your anthology story about dream as addiction? 🙂
No, but now I think I’ll write one!
BTW, I’ve been reading Liz’s book and it is great. I even love that it’s a hardback, which somehow enhances the experience of curling up with a good creepy story. I really enjoy that each story dangles enticing characters and situations in the corner of your eye, then snatches them away, which is okay ‘cuase you know you’ll get their story later. I have several collections of stories in different worlds and now I’m excited to revisit them, maybe with an eye towards ripping off LIz’s fine example.
I’m looking forward to reading Liz’ book too — the linked-short-story thing has intrigued me for awhile. We’re thinking alike here: I’d like to rip her off, also!
But, as Liz mentioned, I’d need to come up with a fictional universe I love — don’t have that yet.