It’s The Small Things

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I’m learning to be proud of the small accomplishments. Okay, maybe I can’t do thousands of words in one day, but should I really be upset with myself if I just do 100 words? Or how about if I do no words at all, but instead, I sit around, watching movies, or reading book after book, trying to absorb what these authors and writers do, learning the craft, internalizing it, making it part of my blood?

At least once a week I tell myself I’m done. I’m giving up. The odds are too high, and I’m just not special enough.

But why do I keep wriitng down ideas? Why do I keep trying?

What does this mean?

False starts. “Crapters.” Thousands of words deleted–or actually, moved to the “Someday Maybe” folder. It’s so easy to beat myself up when I keep focusing on those things, instead of when the magic finally hits and a book is born. It’s easy, when in the throes of writing, to forget about all the false starts and throwaways.

But I’m learning now, to focus on the small things. I’m not going to be one of those people who can churn out masterpieces in two weeks. Therefore, I may never make a living selling books. But I have to stop comparing myself, forcing myself, hurting myself.

And I have to focus on those small victories. Else, I really WILL give up.

P.S. Everyone’s comments have been amazing! I didn’t realize people were still reading this journal until recently. Thank YOU for not giving up on me.

9 thoughts on “It’s The Small Things”

  1. Thousands of words deleted? Sounds normal to me. You should brag about the stuff you toss out (It takes guts) and not how many words you put on a page. Just keep going!

  3. I was a big “not special enough” person. I wrote a vampire novel, for goodness sakes–EVERYONE is writing one of those, there’s no way mine will stand out, I thought.

    It did.

    Keep going!

    And I have weeks where I don’t write–I have never been an everyday writer–just go with the flow–but don’t give up!

  5. Congrats on your accomplishment!

    Hey, I’m a slow writer. And that’s on the days when I actually do write something. I’m a NaNoWriMo dropout. So what? A bit at a time does really get you there. Tortoises rule!

    (And *everyone’s* first draft is crappy, whether they admit it or not.)

  6. I’m not an everyday writer either. I work full-time and there are many days I just can’t squeeze it in unless I sacrifice sleep, and once I start doing that, my life goes down hill FAST!

    I know many people use word count as their goal, and sometimes I do, when time isn’t an issue. But more often than not, I look at the clock and go, okay, 30 minutes, GO!

    We have to create our own journey and figure out how best to enjoy it. If we can’t, what’s the point?

  7. Yes, still reading this journal.

    How many agented manuscripts do you have right now? And how many people never even get that far?

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