Writers--Never Give Up

 

Today's quote can be condensed into those final three words. Never give up. If you have a plan for your writing journey, you keep moving along the path. You continue learning and writing and rewriting and submitting. You're skipping along with the sun shining and all is well with your writing world.

That's a nice scenario, but a writing journey rarely goes exactly that way. You are going to meet bumps in the road now and then. Sometimes, it feels as if you are hitting one after another. All you end up getting is discouraged. 

When those problems arise, like a piece you felt was excellent that comes back with a rejection, you feel like someone lassoed you and held on tight.  Remember when your children were toddlers and they sat down in the grocery aisle crying? That's what you'd like to do, isn't it? I fear no one would come to soothe you. Instead, they might call the manager and ask to have you removed. So, that is not a solution. 

Hit enough of the bumps in the road, and you're likely to tell yourself you can't take much more. You're done writing forever. The quote tells you to 'go over, under, around, or through.' You can find ways to meet that hitch in your writing life if you don't give up. 

Give up, and all is lost. Consider all that you have put into your writing journey. The hours and the worry, the editing and revising. the time spent finding markets, and the submitting process. Do you really want to stop? Remember that you had the passion once to do all the things mentioned. You can find that desire again as long as you don't give up. 

It might take some time off to help you have the desire to write again, along with some thoughts about your successes and what it is that you loved about the writing process. Did creating something from nothing feel exciting? If it did once, it can do so again. Did you enjoy editing to perfect that first draft? I find it a rather satisfying process. Were you thrilled when you sold a story or poem or essay? Wouldn't you love to experience that feeling again? 

You can try making two lists on one sheet of paper, the Pro and the Con of your writing world. Which one is the longest? That should tell you something.

When problems arise, go over, under, around, or through, but please don't give up. You're part of my writing world just as I am part of yours. I don't want to lose you.