Friday, March 11, 2011

It Doesn’t Get Easier


Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work. ~ Thomas A. Edison

A few weeks ago the company I work for had a motivational speaker at our monthly staff meeting. One thing he said really stood out to me.

He said, “It doesn’t get any easier. Accept the process.”

What a great lesson for our writing journeys! Writing (or whatever your dream is) is going to be hard work now, and it’s going to be hard work in five years.

It’s never going to be easy. It’s never going to be the right time. The book is never going to write itself.

It’s time we accept writing for what it is––a demanding, difficult, amazing process. Stop fighting the journey and embrace it. Get over the idea that the writers you admire sit down and write a masterpiece on the first try. The writing process can be ugly and grueling, but if you really love it, it’s worth it.

It’s never going to be easy, but you and your writing will be better for it.

23 comments:

  1. I LOVE that! Yes! I need to accept the process! I keep looking for an "easy button" but I should just embrace the journey. :)

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  2. If it was easy, everyone would be doing it. Where's the fun in that?

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  3. I love this! It doesn't get easier. For sure. Actually, it seems to keep getting harder, but I sure love it. :)

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  4. This is one reason why I love to laugh. It makes the work easier.

    And I love to work.
    ~ Wendy

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  5. I agree! My passion kills my impatience!

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  6. That's so true! I used to get caught up in the "if only's", like "if only THIS agent would look at my work" or "if only I could have gone to that conference, then I might be further along in my writing journey" but once I learned to accept that each moment of writing is going to be a challenge, I started to look at it in a new way. I enjoy challenges and if they're challenges regarding something I'm passionate about, then bring it on!

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  7. Love the Thomas Edison quote!

    Writers often think once they get published, they have it made. I think it's harder because now you have deadlines, edits, sales numbers, and all kinds of pressures affecting your writing.

    Writing isn't easy, but once you do it, you'll find it can be very rewarding.

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  8. Great advice. I've made it my goal to enjoy each step on my journey. While some are tougher than others, I know I can learn from each one.

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  9. Absolutely, Julie. I just had a lesson in this one from a friend's news today.

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  10. Although it doesn't get easier, I do think we get wiser and continue to learn how to improve and change.
    I hope to enjoy the journey too!

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  11. SO TRUE!!!! I think most writers are natural workers. What do you think?

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  12. You all made some really great points! Tana, it does seem that most writers are natural workers. That's an interesting insight.

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  13. Love, love, love that quote!

    I don't know if writers are natural workers, but we do tend to be a bit compulsive about writing. We can't NOT write.

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  14. THe more I get into this process I discover that it is so different than I thought so many years ago---but that's okay:)

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  15. "...dressed in overalls and looks like work." I love it! So true!

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  16. I love to hear people say, I think I will write a book. It is almost like they just expect it to be published right out of the gate. All the while I am thinking about my amazing wife and the time she devoted to her passion. Non of it was easy, but all of it was worth it.

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  17. None, and thanks for getting rid of the weird enter the letters game to leave a comment. I will start leaving more comments. But, I wonder if comments from me is like getting a compliment from your mom? You know it's there, but is it because she has to say something nice or does she really mean it? Makes you wonder huh.

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  18. I absolutely love that Thomas Edison quote! And it is true--life doesn't get easier and if we really want something, we have to work for it. :)

    Angela @ The Bookshelf Muse

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  19. It's not easy but worth doing well. All worthwhile things in life require effort to make them the best they can be, including writing. Thanks for sharing the thoughts, Julie!

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  20. Love, love, love the quote, Julie! Yes, writing is indeed ugly and grueling. I just need to deal with it! LOL

    Thanks for the encouragement!

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