Monday, August 30, 2010

One Step at a time...

Everything worth accomplishing in life takes some degree of patience, and usually happens one step at a time. From learning how to actually walk as a baby, to riding a bike, to driving a car, to figuring out how to raise children of your own... or writing a book and trying to get published. We are all at different places in our lives and goals, and we all take different paths to get where we want to go or do what we want to accomplish. One person might take a few less steps (or a few more) than you to get to the same place. But as long as we make it -- accomplish what we set out to do -- does it matter how many steps it took? What do you think? As you can tell from my 6 part post on "my path to getting an agent," I took a TON of steps to get to that goal. I could have quit so many times, but I didn't. Did I want to quit along the way? Um, yes. But am I so incredibly grateful now that I didn't? That I kept forcing myself to take those steps, no matter what? You bet I am! I know it doesn't end here, either. I have more steps to take on my journey to getting published, and they will continue even after I have a book on a shelf.

So, my question on this Monday (the start of a new week, with new promise) is this: What is your next step? Have you been worried about taking it? Or are you moving forward with purpose and confidence? Let's all "step" into this week with a smile and renewed purpose and make it a great one. Then we can all relax and enjoy the long holiday weekend. Right? (For everyone here in the U.S. anyway...)

Happy Monday!

11 comments:

Christine Fonseca said...

Love this post! My next step...moving forward in a new direction with the WiP (and crossing a few other things of the todo list today.)

Caroline Starr Rose said...

Patience and practice. I love applying the practice idea to life in general: there's a lot of room to learn from the things we try, from walking to writing.

Next step: my editor's sabbatical ends in a few days, meaning back to edits. My agent just returned a picture book that needs some work. Sometime I'll get back to research for a new piece (I abandoned it last January...).

Aubrey said...

I usually have a lot of problems with the patience part.

In unrelated to book stuff, I am moving forward with health and weight loss goals, other personal goals as well as wanting to renew my writing goals. Life is always full of SOMETHING to do and improve!

Cheyanne said...

You just totally made my week by reminding me that it's a holiday weekend!

My next step is to finalize my book's ending and just get to WRITING. I've been wasting so much time trying to think of an ending that I haven't written a single word. Baby steps, I suppose. :)

Carolyn V. said...

How funny Sara. I talked about taking steps too. My next step is the revision and query, which I hope to have your help at the next crit meeting (because you know I need it)! =)

Windy Aphayrath said...

It's funny how so many writers have similar thoughts. I was just talking to a friend about this. For me, it's revising one ms and finishing the first draft (which is probably now a 4th or something) of another.

Angie said...

That's so true. I think it's so important to celebrate each step we take too and realize that we are one step closer to our goals instead of focusing on how many more steps it might take. I'm going to take the step of revising my novel for the next couple of weeks!

Elana Johnson said...

I feel so behind on your blog. I've been such a slacker. But yes, there are multiple places to quit along the way. The important thing is that you don't.

Next step: sending in samples and outlines of what could possibly be my next book! SCARY. (What if I suck? What if my agent hates them? What if she drops me? The panic!)

Sara B. Larson said...

Christine - I'm glad you loved it! Good luck wih moving in that new direction.

Caroline - it sounds like you've got a lot going on! Hope it all goes very well. :)

Aubrey - Yeah, I've had to learn how to be patient through this process. Trial by fire for me, ha ha. Those are great goals to be pursuing!

Cheyanne - yay for holiday weekends! Good luck with your ending. Just let it come out, you can always fix it later. ;)

Carolyn - That is funny! Great minds and all of that... ;) Are you ready to start crit group again? Yay!

Windy - We authors do seem to think alike, dont we? Those are some great steps to be taking right now, too.

Angie - We definitely need to celebrate the steps we take, or else it can just get too hard sometimes. HOpe your revisions go well!

Elana - hey, long time no comment! ;) It's not like you've been busy or anything. Ha ha, you know I'm kidding. I'm sure your agent will love your samples and outline. Good luck and keep me posted!

Cally Stephens-Nielson said...

You mean there is a step beyond rewriting and rewriting and rewriting?

Sara {Rhapsody and Chaos} said...

"One person might take a few less steps (or a few more) than you to get to the same place."

Such a true statement! And I think when you have to take a few more steps than you'd planned, it gets harder to keep pushing yourself--but it might even be more rewarding :)

My next step is continuing to revise a novel, which includes MAJOR restructuring and some rewriting... But I keep reminding myself it will all be worth it when the finished product is SO much better!