Writerly Success
Success is a seductive word. It leads you to think there’s something more that must be achieved – some unobtained happiness that waits for your arrival. You strive and look forward, then pout when things don’t progress as quickly as desired. Is writing really that hard?
Do you think success means you must get published and paid? Or is success something that happens every day just because you managed to spend fifteen minutes writing?
Perhaps success comes with the completion of a goal. If you’ve always wanted to write an e-book, you’d be thrilled at the moment your first one was completed. Successful writers know that joy comes from a job well done.
Success could be staring you in the face right now. Perhaps the self-awareness of knowing you’re a writer is the greatest success of all. To know you’re meant to write, to set words on paper, to share thoughts in writing, is a conscious understanding of your literary talent. You know that writing is for you and you’re for it.
Whatever makes you feel successful, I believe that for you today. I believe you’ll attain your goals, develop your writing skills, and find joy in the work you do. I believe, and with my believing comes absolute certainty that the path you’re taking is the right one for you.
Know joy in the way you walk, for it is your unique journey through life.
Hi LindaJo. Interesting topic. To me, success means to have completed a project. Publishing is one way to measure success but if a writer doesn’t complete that project, then the ‘success measure’ fails.
Love your blog.
Comment by Lea Schizas — October 20, 2008 @ 9:42 am
So true… there’s nothing quite like finishing what you start. So much better than living with a lot of loose ends.
Comment by LindaJoMartin — October 20, 2008 @ 12:36 pm
Nice article. Thanks.
Eugene
Comment by Eugene — October 20, 2008 @ 5:16 pm
Now everyone is talking about the American economy and eclections, nice to read something different. Eugene
Comment by Eugene — October 22, 2008 @ 5:20 pm
Thanks, Eugene… you won’t find me writing anything more about the election this year. I’m looking forward to having it over with!
Comment by LindaJoMartin — October 23, 2008 @ 4:15 am
I like your definition of success, Linda Jo.
To me, just knowing that I am a writer and feeling it inside is the cake, being published is the icing on that success cake.
Comment by R J Medak — October 30, 2008 @ 12:20 am
Like you, I also believe that success comes with the completion of our goals; and for me, we definitely succeed when we overcome our fear of doing something. I just remember my favorite childhood motto: “try and try until you succeed”
Comment by Urlaub spanien buchen — November 6, 2008 @ 10:31 am