Thursday, February 12, 2009

Courageous Souls!

Where in the heck does the time go? I could have sworn that I just blogged two days ago. I must be in a time warp or something. Things have been so crazy. Never a dull moment, I'm afraid. But, I don't like for too much time to pass without touching base with y'all, and airing whatever it is that's swelling my brain and causing my eyes to go all "buggy."

I'm kinda overwhelmed with school right now. I'm getting ready for early enrollment for next year, parent tours, and prepping for spring conferences. Then I have to begin planning the graduation ceremony for my little guys, and I haven't begun to plan my March lessons yet, and... well, you get the point. My writing has taken a back seat as well this week. So, Saturday will be the day. I have to finish my revisions. Especially because I thought I was finished to begin with. OOOPS! No, I just really felt that a last minute shift in a certain area would be beneficial to the story. I believe that it will be richer for it.

These are hard decisions that we as writers make. Are we over thinking the process, or under whelmed with the result? Just like with the stone analogy that I gave you the last time, it takes great effort to do what we do, and to walk away from a completed work, feeling good about it all.

I have been thinking a lot about writers lately. No one writer, in particular. Just writers in general. Man, are we brave souls! We are a truly unique breed of people. We are practically gluttons for punishment. We work and work and work without pay. We only have the hope of eventual compensation for a story well told. We have to have the patience of Job. We daily place a demand on our creativity, and stretch our comfort zones. We are constantly asking ourselves, "What if?" and "Then what?" We rip to shreds, time and time again, the very thing that we have poured our heart and soul into. We have to be brutal. We have to be brutally honest. We even talk to ourselves...uh, did I say that out loud? Yes, I dialogue aloud. Please don't tell me I'm the only one. I'll not believe it! Yes, we are different. In a good way, of course. We are courageous.

"A great deal of talent is lost to the world for want of a little courage. Everyday sends to their graves obscure men whose timidity prevented them from making a first effort." - Sydney Smith

Continue to be courageous. No matter where you are in this arduous process. For those of us who have not yet tasted the joy of representation or the triumph of publication, it's all right. We are all at a different place and will have our day if we stick to it, continue to hone our craft, and remain teachable as we learn more and more about this industry. Remain courageous! Keep stretching! And, most of all, don't give up. (This has actually been a pep talk for me. Hope it did something for you as well. Tee! Hee!)

"Diamonds are nothing more than chunks of coal that stuck to their jobs." - Malcolm Forbes

XOXO CJ

Shoe Mood:









Digging in my 4" heels and holding on for dear life!

7 comments:

Rena Jones said...

Great post! Good luck with all of your school stuff and I hope you can get some writing in too.

Christina Farley said...

Thanks for the encouragement. I'm realizing that with my current WIP. I have so many choices! And sometimes I can only hope that I'm steering my characters in the right direction.

Luna said...

This is a fantastic post! Thanks so much for the encouragement. You are truly inspiring. Happy writing!

Bish Denham said...

No, you are not the only one who dialogues out loud! Wonderful post.

C.J. Raymer said...

Thank you, ladies! It can be a very bumpy road. But, I'm determined to make the trip! XOXO

Ghost Girl (aka, Mary Ann) said...

Amen, sister! Thanks for the boost. I needed it in every way. Now if I could just get myself writing again, instead of worrying...

Motorized Blinds Mesquite said...

Great reading tthis

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