Wednesday, July 2, 2008

That Ol' Learning Curve

Mom's nimble fingers twirled the fine cotton thread around her crochet hook. She worked for hours creating lacy doilies and potholders. The projects took forever, but I was fascinated watching them go from a single strand to a finished product.

When several friends decided they wanted to crochet scarves, I jumped on the bandwagon. Mom purchased some yarn, and taught me the basics. I fumbled with the hook, and ripped out more stitches than I care to remember. The lure of a soft, colorful scarf kept me motivated. I learned how to read patterns, and soon afghans, baby sweaters, items for the house, whimsical stuffed toys, hats, and a host of other items came from my trusty crochet hook.

When I decided to pursue publication, my initial efforts had that same beginner-basic quality. The backspace and delete keys got a workout. Growth came as I attended writers' conferences, read books on the craft, and surfed the Internet. An amazing thing happened -- my writing improved. Oh, I still have a long way to go. Maybe I'm somewhere in the 3rd or 4th grade.

A recent acceptance letter and check for 2 devotionals refilled my enthusiasm tank. I can't wait to submit more work. My motivation skyrocketed with that letter. The ol' learning curve can be like climbing a mountain, but if I stick with it, I'll soon be taking on greater challenges like I did with the crocheting.

Maybe I'm ready for the next grade level. :)

2 comments:

Christina Tarabochia said...

This is a great analogy! Thanks for always commenting on my posts. The boys are napping right now, which lets me jump online for a few minutes and I want you to know how much I appreciate getting to know you! :-)

Susan J. Reinhardt said...

Hi Christina -

Thanks for your kind words. I love connecting with other writers and readers, and enjoy your blog.

Can't wait to hear how your agent fares at ICRS.

Blessings,
Susan :)