So many metaphors for the writing life are expressed in this endearing video.
Care to supply one of your own?
Fun Fridays – August 2, 2019
The Steve Laube Agency
Helping to Change the World…Word by Word
The Steve Laube Agency
Helping to Change the World Word by Word
I Have to Market My Own Book? That’s Not Fair!
Yessir. The struggle. The community. The determination. The joy that comes with achieving your goal. Pretty much the writing life. God’s blessings sir.
With the pangs of writing, your baby is born. You read and reread, then reread again…finally, you put it in the hands of your writing friend. It’s time to nurture that newborn book…she can encourage, but she can’t do it for you. Try and try and try…first, edit, second, third, fourth, fifth? I can’t…I’ll just crash and burn and lick my wounds for a minute…enter friend, pity party song(nobody likes me everybody hates me, guess I’ll just eat worms, yeah, sang it once or twice) up and at it…sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth(I’ve gone grey now) What?! tenth? It may be ready? Now it’s out there, you land your dream agent, dream publisher, the best marketing team in the universe! As they rally around you, your friend puts her arm around you,” See,” she says, “I knew you’d do it all along.”
The number of times you fall (the number of rejection letters) doesn’t matter, once you learn to stand (see your book in print). And once standing, you know you will soon be able to run. Sing Hallelujah!
Proverbs 24:16 tells us “For a righteous man may fall seven times and rise again.” Should God choose to use our writing for His glory, we will get there. Every fall is another lesson. Every attempt another risk.
Ultimately I’m glad we didn’t see any lions.
Not sure about a metaphor, but I totally understood the trying to stand and falling on my face. Then I stand on wobbly legs and know the journey is so worth it. Even if I hit the dirt again.
Thank you, Steve.
I was fixed on the precious loving nuturing of Mama and Papa, the unsung heros! Three cheers for Loving parents, I know you are one of them! Have a blessed day!
A challenging beginning can end with you standing on your own 4 feet if you refuse to give up. =D
“A picture can say a thousand words” comes to mind as I viewed the video.
For me, the struggles of the baby giraffe trying to stand for the first time parallels with the challenges I face getting out of bed in the mornings. He’s entering the first phase of life and I’m entering my last phase of life.
Beginning my writing career at the age of 70 may sound a bit late for most people, however, it took me a life time to build a foundation of experiences to give depth of meaning for my writing today.
What a heart-warming video! I love starting the weekend off with Fun Fridays.
The metaphor I often relate to writing is running a marathon. People often think of the marathon as 26.2 miles of “never give up.” It is that, but it’s so much more. Months of training, preparing your muscles to handle the trial, pushing through workouts when you’d rather be doing something else, giving up parts of your life in order to accomplish the goal, dealing with injuries and illnesses and wondering if it’s all worth it.
When you cross the finish line, though, it’s similar to holding your published book in your hands for the first time. Other people may only see the medal or the book, but you celebrate the journey that got you there and thank God for the opportunity.
Love this video & each comment!
1. Our nurturing writing community
2. Standing over us, watching, feeding us patiently as we slowly stand and fall (repeatedly)
3. Surrounded a family of encouragement … by other writers, by critiques, and agencies such as this! And, of course, conferences.
4. Then writers as we stretch those writing muscles, ready to take on the world (editors, agents) with those nurturing adults stand by to keep us safe from the lions (doubts, a ‘give-up attitude, and frustration–‘I wanna be a grown-up NOW).
Thank you for wonderful insights!
Falling on your face isn’t failure. It’s practice.
Shirlee, you nailed it!
“If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up.” Ecclesiastes 4:10
The video made me appreciate my family and friends. Those who encourage me on days my head wonders why I write and encourage me again on days my heart knows why I write.
Writing may seem like a solo adventure but we can’t do it without the support of family, friends, and mentors.
Absolutely great metaphor for the writing life, and so endearing! Thanks Steve.