A Writer's Life Is No Bed of Roses

When things don't go as we hoped on our writing journey, we need to step back and figure out why and what we can do to fix it. 

In a perfect world, every piece we submit to an editor will get published and we'll receive accolades, as well as a nice check. If only!

Athletes go through slumps where they can't get a hit or make a tackle or find the basket. Difficult periods can last days or weeks. Most eventually pull themselves out of that down period and claim they learned something in the long run. 

Writers are the same. We go through down periods, too. Submission after submission comes bouncing back to us. It feels like we'll never be published again or ever, if a new writer. We know it's a part of the writing world but, doggone it, we feel hurt and defeated and maybe even a bit useless.

Thoughts like Why do I bother? and I'm never going to write another word. or I'll never get published. roll through our mind. Let's face it. We'd all like a bit of sympathy. If you belong to a writing critique group, you might find a little of that from those who have gone through the same situation. More than sympathy, they are able to empathize. 

Once you get beyond the poor me feelings, take a step back and look at the problem that put you in a slump. It could be repeated rejections or lack of inspiration to write or first drafts looking like a toss-away piece of writing or starting a story and never being able to finish. Whatever it is, look for the lesson as our poster today tells us. The lesson is there but it may not be clear enough to smack you in the face immediately. You may have to search different paths to find what it is that you need to learn. 

If you don't see it one day, wait a day or two and try again. The one thing you need to do is be honest. Don't make excuses for yourself. If you are going to own up to what you've been doing that is working against you, you'll have to be a bit brave. No one likes to be criticized, nor do we like to put ourselves down. Even so, it's the only way you'll find the answer to your problem. 

Once you identify the problem, the lesson to learn emerges more clearly. After you figure out the lesson, then you need to take steps to correct what you'd been doing and pull yourself out of that slump. Then be grateful for the lesson learned.

I know this sounds like a lot of generalities but everyone has a different problem to solve. Finally, don't forget to be grateful when life is good to you. Never take the good times in your writing world for granted.