It All Comes Together

This is my favorite corner of the house. I love the way it looks, love its flow. Upon first glance, you'd never know how much work went into it. It was newly crafted - an addition, so to speak - when we extended the front wall of our house by four feet.

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Time and labor went into this space's foundational construction. Tools and measurement were involved; a discerning eye with vision. Eventually, it took its shape. Then doors and windows, each necessary filler, were added, too.

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The walls were next, and they needed warmth. There were moments of hesitation and doubt, when our chosen hue looked all wrong. But with faith and patience, we plowed ahead. And found the result we'd been hoping for.

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Flooring took outside help. We called on friends and professionals alike; each offered help in some way. They understood our desires, gave advice, sweated alongside us, helped the potential become reality.

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There was finish work, like sanding the rough edges from the ceiling beams, adding a bit of trim to cover those seams.

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It was all coming together. We could see its end.

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And then the real fun began, for me, with the final touches. It was my favorite part. Waiting for the right inspiration, for what pretties should go where. Some is functional, like the bench that both seats a visitor removing shoes, and holds daughters' games and puzzles. Some is aesthetic, with popping colors and subtle beauty. I like the contrast of old with new. I like that many items were repurposed, used in an unintended way. And how there are little pieces that pull it all together.

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It's my favorite corner.

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Kinda reminds me of writing.

All It Takes

I have a friend who dabbles in writing. She has pondered plots and researched the industry; she has studied others' writing and desires to pen something amazing, maybe a novel. I've seen some of her stuff, and I believe she has untapped talent.

Still, she's considered what it takes, beyond vision and creativity.

Markets are often overwhelming, and competition can be devastating. Publication is rare, given the odds, every little step. All this means determination and discipline are necessary. Time and patience are required. And required some more. Many know the list continues.

She recently decided she's not ready to commit. Not yet, anyway, and I admire her respectful withdrawal from the race.

I also feel buoyed by it. I feel encouraged, in fact, because I realize how deep-rooted my want is. I realize that I want success, no matter the commitment. And I'm willing.

I commit.

Do you?

Tangles

As I helped my littlest brush tangles from her hair the other day, I thought about how much the process is like writing.

Sometimes we find ourselves in a confused mass of words, unable to work through them, thinking it impossible to make them smooth and beautiful.

But just as with my three-year-old's curls, the tangles need to be approached with patience, a little hard work and elbow grease.

With a little faith in knowing what could be, and our best in persistence, beauty awaits.

What It Takes to Be a Writer

PASSION: I feel like sometimes people throw this word around on a whim; a romantic or melodramatic whim. Sometimes I cringe when I hear it. But passion doesn’t just refer to over-the-top desire or emotion; also to interest, affection, enthusiasm. And this is where passion molds with writing. It’s what drives this dream of ours; to express ourselves, to put our thoughts out there for others to absorb, to understand how our words can so clearly, poignantly touch another.

DISCIPLINE: Probably one of the hardest yet most integral parts of a writer’s life, for it doesn’t take just thinking. Or plotting. Imagining. It’s the wherewithal to sit down and do. You have to stop the niggling voices (sometimes internal, when they tell you you’re no good… sometimes external, when your physical space is shared), find that zone, sometimes fight through the wall of a blank mind and a blank page. It takes a firm inner voice, one that tells you you’re going to do it, no matter the effort or cost.

PATIENCE: Success as a writer doesn’t come all at once. I could liken it to golf: Tiger wants a record-breaking score. He wants the trophy. But he has take the course one hole at a time, and each goes best if he’s calm and focused. Likewise with writers. It takes steps, many of them, approached with a patient mind and patient heart. And there may be obstacles, hazards, loose impediments along the way, but patience will make our progress smoother.

POSITIVE OUTLOOK: We all get discouraged. I hope I’m not the only writer who wavers between confidence and uncertainty. But even when we question ourselves and our goals, when we see how another writer has found success and wonder where we’ve gone wrong, we must look at the bigger picture. It takes an understanding that every writer is different. We all have different talents within this literary world, and there’s a niche for them all. In addition, no two writers’ plans are the same. We have to believe our time is out there, and that each step we take – individual to our schedules, preferences, resumes, styles - takes us closer to our plan. It’s focusing on that, not where others can be found, or how others (like agents) have thus far perceived us, that gets us through.

CONFIDENCE: Confidence is one of the biggest elements pushing us forward. It’s believing in ourselves and our talents, even when doubt tries to break through. It takes faith in what we’re trying to write and how we’re writing it, because one who doesn’t believe in himself and his words doesn’t stand a chance of making himself and his words believable to his reader.

PERSEVERANCE: We cannot give up. If all these things – passion, discipline, patience, positive outlook, and confidence – have lined up within us, we have no choice but to proceed with perseverance. Throwing the towel in does not grasp us our dream. Fruition never comes if we don’t keep pushing and seeking. We cannot give up.



Can you think of anything to add to my list?



I'll be leaving town this afternoon, with plans to attend a Lit Fest tomorrow. I'm looking forward to it! I'll report back when I return.

Have a great weekend!