Put One Foot In Front Of The Other and Climb

I love this picture and the quote. We do know that few, if any, people zoom to success like an elevator goes from lobby to the penthouse floor. Even if that was possible, think of all the fun you'd miss along the way. None of the irritations nor small joys that a writer meets on that arduous journey, none of the things that helps a writr earn his very own merit award.

I think it's better if we make our way one step at a time, even if the stairway seems endless at times. Yes, we have lots of little irritations as we plod from one step to the next one. We have to carve time from our already-busy lives so that we can write. We must write first drafts, then revise and revise yet again. We submit the same story to multiple editors hoping one will love it.

We have to receive rejections and then make adjustments so that the next editor will not reject the story you thought was great. On yet another step, we need to learn how to handle criticism when we put our work in front of another writer and ask them to critique. Each one of these things help us grow as a writer.

One more of those steps in that long, long climb is to write something that truly satisfies you. How many times do we write something that we think is pretty good, then a week later, we read it again and throw up our hands in disgust. Why did I ever think this was good? you ask yourself. But when that one story you write makes you feel like you've done a great job, it's worth all the ones that made you want to lose your lunch.. It's like trying on umpteen dresses in a department store and not liking any of them until...until you slip one over your head and look in the mirror and you know. This is it! We do know when we've written something good.

What about the many small successes a writer achieves in the writing journey? Maybe it's something published in a nonpaying market, but it's published. Or perhaps you establish a rapport with an editor who likes your writing and will publish anything you send in. It does happen. Each time we receive an acceptance, it's another small success.

Don't look at that long stairway as a detriment. Instead, consider it a blessing to be able to make your writing journey one step at a time. Once you reach the top, you'll appreciate being there ever so much more. Maybe it's one more thing to be thankful for next week.