The Wonderful World of Disney opened their show with a montage of pictures. Thanks to time-lapse photography, they showed butterflies springing from cocoons and flowers blooming in seconds instead of hours or days.Reading author interviews reminds me of these pictures. We're seeing years, months, and days condensed into a short vignette. While it's exciting, we must remind ourselves these writers put hard work, time, patience, and perseverance into achieving their goals.
Are we committed to the long haul or are we seeking instant success?
46 comments:
That's such an awesome analogy Susan! So very true.
I am committed, definitely. And when I read an amazing book, I try to remind myself that the author worked incredibly hard to make it that way.
such a great reminders, Susan! It's so easy to to forget that this is hard work....for everybody. For those that are now published. Perseverence is the key. :)
I'm in for the long haul. As long as the Lord gives me the gift of writing and the ability to do it, I pray I'll be writing my last word up to my last breath!
I am realizing how much work it can be from other bloggers. Makes me appreciate that book even more . :O)
Good point! Never thought about it quite like that. I'm in it for the long haul.
Have a blessed week:)
Karen
Susan, what a beautiful picture. As I keep hanging in there, I know that in due time things will come together if I don't give up. Thanks for the beautiful and poignant reminder.
Perfect post for me today as my third book and I are having a mid-life crisis with a deadline looming!
Thanks, sweet Susan, for the reminder!!!
Patti
Definitely the long haul. :0)
Oh, I'm definitely committed to the long haul!! I can't imagine it any other way!
Hi Jess -
Thanks. :)
I've read many wonderful books over the years. Now, I have an appreciation for how hard the author worked.
Blessings,
Susan
Hi Katie -
Great to see you again!
Overnight successes rarely exist. Even those with raw talent must work hard to refine their skills.
Blessings,
Susan :)
Hi Donna -
I can't imagine not writing in one form or another. It's in my DNA. :)
Blessings,
Susan
Hi Karen -
It's a beautiful blogging day! Sunny, 50's - that's one reason I'm late moderating comments. :)
Hmm, I wonder if there's a post lurking in those words. We have to grab inspiration wherever we find it.
Blessings,
Susan
Hi Kristen -
Me too!
Blessings,
Susan :)
Hi Jody -
You're commitment is a great example to all of us. :)
Blessings,
Susan
Hi Diane -
When I think back to how green I was five years ago, I smile. In God's mercy, He opened my eyes gradually.
Blessings,
Susan :)
Hi Sharon -
Thanks for your kind words.
Isn't it amazing how images stick in your brain? Seeing the Wonderful World of Disney's time lapse photography made quite an impression. Years later, they surface when I need a blog post.
Blessings,
Susan :)
Hi Patti -
Glad you found encouragement and inspiration here today. :)
Blessings,
Susan
Good correlation, Susan!
I'm committed. I figure at this point I've put in almost seven serious, focused years of my life into it, so I better keep going until my book is published or until God tells me to stop:)
Thanks, Susan!
Hi Kristen -
Great point! Until God gives further instructions, we follow the directions we've been given.
Blessings,
Susan :)
Although I'm on a sabbatical now, after committing seven years into writing I sure hope I'm in it for the long haul.
So true! I never knew half the things I would need to do when I started out on this journey.
I'm most thankful for the writers out there trying to help others understand the process. :)
Hi Emily Ann -
Anytime you need us, we're here. :)
Blessings,
Susan
Hi Eileen -
Great to hear from you! I stopped by your blog today in case a new post showed up. :)
All of us need time off. I hardly wrote anything for over a year when my husband was sick. It isn't time lost, but rather time to burrow into the Lord, minister to our families, and come out with a fire in our bellies.
Blessings,
Susan
Thank you, a million thank you's for this wise and oh so true post! It takes years to do what we do. Sure our "Success" seems to come in short bursts but without all that hard work we would NEVER have gotten there.
What a wonderful reminder! Perseverence is a must. Slow and steady for me! lol
Oh dear. This hits a nerve, doesn't it? And our "have it your way," "thirty seconds or it's free" society doesn't help us practice patience.
I'm interviewing author Tammy Barley on my blog tomorrow--her book took twenty years from inception to publication, but... it is one of the most finely crafted romance novels I've ever read. Ever.
Time laspe is not reality. Waiting on God and working, is.
I love the butterfly analogy. It's so true, we can get the idea that becoming published is some magical thing that just happens some day when it really requires such diligence, long-suffering, and dedication to learning. I think of that story about someone releasing the butterfly from it's cocoon to early and then it fails to have the strength to fly, rather than keeping it in the cocoon where it can flutter it's wings and gain everything it needs to be equipped for the life of a butterfly. That's the kind of butterfly I want to be. And though I get impatient sometimes, I'm trying trust the Lord to keep me in the cocoon as long as he knows is best.
Great point, and nice comparison. :) Something I love about the writing community is that for those times when I think I can't, wonderful people in the community remind me that yes, I can. :)
Hi T. Anne -
You're welcome! I'm glad the post helped you.
Blessings,
Susan :)
Hi Sherrinda -
"Slow and steady" - I like that a lot. I need more work on the "steady" part. My good intentions went by the wayside this morning thanks to interruptions.
Blessings,
Susan :)
Hi Jen -
20 years! Wow, that's a long time. At the rate I'm going, my futuristic suspense novel will end up being present tense. :)
Blessings,
Susan
Hi Carla -
If I'd gotten published a few years ago, it would have been a disaster. The Lord sees the overall picture and knows when the timing is right.
Blessings,
Susan :)
Hi Danyelle -
I'm grateful for the Internet. It's taken a solitary profession and made it possible to connect with other writers.
Like you, I've been able to benefit from the experiences and encouragement of others.
Blessings,
Susan :)
The long haul...God willing.
You have a great insight into the long process of writing. Thank you Susan!
I'm committed to the long haul wherever that takes me.
When I read fiction, sometimes I find myself trying to figure out how the author managed to so such a great scene. I pull myself back from the story more than I should.
Hi Schmologna -
Perhaps my understanding comes from the length of time I've been working on my first book. :)
Blessings,
Susan
Hi Nancy -
I often read a book and think, "How did she/he think of that line?" I never thought of it in terms of pulling me out of the story. You got the gears turning in in my brain. :)
Blessings,
Susan
Yes, I am committed. But I wouldn't turn away the instant thing...
Hi Lily -
LOL! I don't think any of us would turn away the "instant thing."
Blessings,
Susan :)
Susan:
We used to make tomato juice, a long laborious job. Then a friend found a 'short cut'. He told hubby about it, then he tried it. The 'new' turned out to be not so good. The 'new, quick way' yielded juice that had the taste of the tomato seeds in it. Hubby told his friend, "There are some things that you can't take short cuts on.
Writing is one of those areas of life. So, I am in it for the long haul.
Hi Quiet Spirit -
What a great example! Thanks for sharing it with all of us.
Blessings,
Susan :)
Susan, you have such a wonderful way with analogies. Can you imagine if life moved as fast as time-lapse photography? We would miss all of the lessons and the little miracles along the way. The writing journey is often long and not without disappointments, but with each step we learn.
Hi Jean -
It's like gulping down your food without tasting it. There's a lot to be said for savoring the moment. :)
Blessings,
Susan
I never thought of it that way. It is intimidating and inspiring! I can get easily overwhelmed by looking too far ahead. I think the best thing for me is to acquaint myself with the whole task and recognize the difficulties, then put my head down and lean into the harness, taking a step at a time. Just like chewing on a too-big bite can cause you to gag, trying to take one big step to the finish will cause you to stumble - and miss a lot of the rewards along the way.
Hi Becky -
That's a great analogy. I appreciate your thoughts.
Blessings,
Susan :)
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