EVERYONE TOLD ME I HAD TO THINK POSITIVE
WHEN I WAS WRITING MY FIRST BOOK.
IF I BELIEVED I COULD DO IT, THEN I COULD!
IF I PICTURED MYSELF PUBLISHED, THEN IT WAS
GOING TO HAPPEN!
WHICH SOUNDED GREAT, EXCEPT…
WHAT IF I WAS ALMOST TOTALLY SURE I WOULD FAIL?
I AM HERE TO TELL YOU -
WHAT MATTERS IS STICKING WITH IT.
EVEN IF YOU DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN MAKE IT
THROUGH TO THE END OF YOUR NOVEL,
JUST GET THROUGH TODAY.
THEN GET THROUGH TOMORROW.
DON'T WORRY ABOUT THE DAY AFTER THAT,
UNTIL IT'S TODAY.
THEN YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO.
(Holly Black)
Sometimes, this concept is the only thing that gets me through a bad day of bad writing.
The days when…
- every idea I have stinks like one of those port-o-potties at the end of a long hot summer's day at the county fair.
- every character is duller than me at a cocktail party.
- every dialogue exchange reads like a conversation between the tortoises. (Which, in case you didn't know, sounds pretty much like a rousing bout of silence punctuated by an occasional whistle or cluck. Don't ask.)
- every word I manage to write lands on the page with an ungraceful splat like bird-doo on a car's windshield.
But that might happen on Monday. And Tuesday. But, if I keep going, Wednesday might be better. Thursday might stink again, but Friday sees those creative juices flowing, those ideas flying and landing gracefully, maybe even majestically. Same for Saturday….
Hold onto to those good days. I know you have them. I know you're all talented and creative and passionate about writing, about so many things! And those good days will get us through the bad ones. They always do.
I do have those good and bad days, though now that I write full time, it feels more like I have good and bad hours.
ReplyDeleteWhen it's not going well, take those bad hours one at a time. When it is going well, enjoy the flow! :)
DeleteThis is great advice—and a great quote to post on the wall. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, Dana!
DeleteThey call that baby steps - just take one at a time, and after a while, you'll be amazed how far you've come.
ReplyDeleteI really doubt you are dull at cocktail parties.
Hee hee! My husband always says I'm not nearly as awkward etc as I think I am. :)
DeleteBird doo doo words... LOL! One day at a Time is one of my mantras. And if that doesn't work, one hour at a time. And if that's still too much, one minutes at a time. And if all else fails, eat cheese and be happy. Or better yet, maybe it's best to start with the cheese. ;)
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of starting with the cheese…but then where would it end? :)
DeleteI had no idea tortoises whistled or clucked. THAT would get my attention, no matter how dull the dialog got.
ReplyDeleteI'm not exactly sure if tortoises are supposed to make those noises but ours do, and they seem happy enough. :)
DeleteI so SO need to remember this because i'm feeling the exact same way (about the bird poop and port-o-potty-ness of my current novel).
ReplyDeleteI also like to repeat Dori's mantra (from Finding Nemo) with a light variation: instead of just keep swimming it's just keep writing. "Just keep writing. Just keep writing! Just keep writing, writing, writing..." with her voice in my head singing it. It helps.
Whatever works for you, Beverly! Whatever works. :)
DeleteOkay you made me laugh about the cocktail party. Trust me, you can't be duller than I am at one of those things LOL.
ReplyDeleteHmm, maybe we all need to have some sort of blogging cocktail party. I'm pretty sure I'm more entertaining online than in person. :)
DeleteThanks!!! I needed to read this post this morning. Last night's writing time just plain stank and splatted, and then stank more . . . I'm hoping and planning on today being a better day for writing. :)
ReplyDeleteToday was that kind of writing day for me - ugh. I hope yours was better! :)
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