You're A Committee of One

The header on my blog mentions that I am here to give tips and encouragement for writers. To be honest, some of the things I write that do so helps me as much as it does some of my readers. Writing about things I believe in my writing world is a good re-enforcement for this writer.

We've talked myriad times about what rejection feels like, what it does to our ego, and how to deal with it. Today's poster kind of sums up my advice in a smattering of words. I could write an entire lengthy essay on the subject but the little girl on the bike captured it well. Even so, I'm going to expand a bit more on what is said in the poster.

There are so many aspects of our writing world. At times, it seems like the actual writing is miniscule in comparison to the other parts we deal with on a regular basis. Look at the things we have to do once the initial writing is completed:

1. editing

2. revising

3. finding a market

4. writing a cover letter or query

5. the infernal waiting period

6. the request from an editor to rework parts of the story

7. the rejection

8. additional rewriting

9. resending the story to another market

10. when a story is published, getting the word out to readers

11. writing another story

The key phrase in the poster is ...have faith in what can be. Don't waste your time and energy on what has happened in the past. Concentrate on today and what the future can bring. That doesn't mean you can sit on your duff and wait for good things to happen. It's you that create what that future will bring. It's you that has to have that patience and perseverance to make the future satisfying. It's you that has to constantly improve your writing and it's you that must deal with the 11 points listed above. 

Nobody is going to do any of this for you. You're a committee of one. So, call a meeting with yourself and see what you can schedule for the near future. Have faith in yourself and see where it takes you.