I sometimes wonder where I am in my writing…er…I need an image here to relate this…let’s pick the “swimming pool.” So…the writing swimming pool. Am I still in the shallow end with floaters on, bobbing about with little clue as to what I’m doing or how I can make the stories better? Have I managed to wade closer to the deep end, and can manage to hold myself afloat while splashing around and trying to find my voice? Or am I standing on the edge of the high-dive, about ready to plunge into the writing career of my dreams? (Please?)
Wherever I see myself (and sometimes it changes daily) it is at least nice to know that other authors have experienced these same phases. They’ve struggled through constant rejection, setback and more, but because of their persistence in trying to swim, they’ve begun to make breakthroughs. They didn’t back off, and so they were there when opportunity presented itself.
Kelly McCullough (author of Cybermancy and WebMage) gives his experience and thoughts on some of the depression he battled during a trying time in his fledgling writing career, where he thought 15 years of writing efforts had proven fruitless.
http://www.sfnovelists.com/2007/09/25/cybermancy-launch-day-never-give-up/
It would be hard to get to a point where I might consider giving up writing for good. It would take a lot to get me there, but something bolsters your spirit when you can look at other people and see that they’ve survived such crash-n-burn scenarios and pulled through intact, if not stronger for it. An encouraging read.
I apologize if the thoughts are a little rambling today. Still waging war for the dominion of my sinuses. Is it a bad thing that Kleenex look a lot like little white flags of surrender?
I see that smile.
Nice analogy Josh, very appropriate. The worst is however having to tread water endlessly – unable to swim, unwilling to drown, only waiting, always waiting for the acceptance, for permission finally to swim. Something that could happen in the next instant, or maybe never…
Menawhile some other swimmer comes steaming past (you read the headlines: “Debut author gets high six-figure advance for tedious copy of idea that’s been done to death already”) and the water that splashes in your mouth is the bitterest, most frustrating thing you’ve ever tasted.
Phew, I feel better for getting that off my chest.
Waiting is one of the hardest things to do, aside from actually getting the writing done. For me, the best thing to do while I’m treading water at the moment is to keep myself busy with new writing projects, revising old ones and otherwise. It makes the passing time a little easier to handle.
Hrm. I don’t think I could last that long without being discouraged.
I’d say being discouraged isn’t such a bad thing. If you go for years without feeling a twinge of doubt or discouragement, I’d say you’re in denial. They’re natural feelings to struggle with, but it’s whether you choose to keep swimming or get out of the pool altogether makes the difference in the end.