Life is going to throw a lot of curve balls our way. That's part of life. It's how we handle those curve balls that defines us.
When that curve ball is heading our way, we've got some choices on how to handle it:
- duck
- close our eyes and swing
- keep our eye on the ball and swing
- jump out of the batter's box
- step into the pitch
- watch it go right on by
A writer's journey to publication is chock full of curve balls.
- finding the right idea
- writing the first page
- finishing the draft
- finding a crit buddy
- sharing
- revising
- editing
- writing a query
- and synopsis
- sending out that query
- rejection
- more rejection
- marketing
- reviews
- contracts
- sales
- pressure of the next book
- ...
Resiliency is the key to survival in the industry. So how do we deal with those curve balls? A few suggestions:
- conversations and commiserations with writing buddies (this online writing community is incredible!!)
- always having the next idea ready to go - keep an idea bank
- critique the work of others - a great way to improve yourself & help out someone else!
- study your favourite stories to see what works in them to pull you in
- tears (but not for long!)
- time outs/times off (again, not for long!)
- chocolate (maybe that's just me)
- learn something new (this is my personal favourite. Not only is it productive, but it builds your skill set and your confidence)
There's nothing wrong with jumping out of the batter's box - as long as you're ready to learn something new and then jump right back in.
How do you build your resiliency?
Jemi Fraser is an aspiring author of contemporary romance. She blogs and tweets while searching for those HEAs.
22 comments:
Step out of the box, re-evaluate, then jump back in!
The idea bank is a good idea. LOL - yes, I do realize what I just wrote.
Alex - agreed!
Diane - love it :)
I like the idea of stepping back, regrouping and trying again with the knowledge of what you learned from the first outing.
So very right on all of these especially "finding the right idea".
Great article.
Mason - it really helps to realize we're learning, not failing! :)
Teresa - thanks! :)
As I read this, I thought it should have been written in a circle. Start, go, re-evaluate, re-start, end, Start!
You got it all in, Jemi! Great job.
Learn something new.
I like that idea... very much!
I totally agree about the writing community being incredibly supportive.
Lee - so true! It is a cycle! :)
Michelle - me too - it always makes me excited again!
Carol - it is an incredible community!! :)
Fake an injury and come out of the game.
No, I don't recommend that at all.
Jeff - LOL - nope, don't recommend that either! :)
These are so true! I love our community of writers, and I probably wouldn't have improved my writing skills nearly as much if it weren't for critique partners.
Shelley - me too! I'd still be filling up pages and pages of backstory! :)
Great suggestions to follow. I didn't know that I would be resilient at the beginning of my journey.
"Write while drunk.Edit when sober." This advice came from a Subject Master teacher and he applied it to writing reports and submissions. I think it boils down to "write uninhibitedly, but edit judiciously".
Medeia - me neither!!
Granny - love that!! And I agree - writing while 'free' is priceless! :)
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I have decided that you have to be most resilient when you're making those final edits before the ms disappears off to the printers. It's scary and, yes, chocolate is useful.
Rosalind - that's probably the scariest stage of all! Just made some brownie cupcakes if you need one! :)
What a great post! I love the advice. :) It is so important to be resilient and you gave a great list to carry on and not give up. I am in the editing phase and this was very timely. ;) Thanks for sharing!
~Jess
Jess - you're welcome! I definitely need the reminders during the editing phase as well! Good luck :)
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