Hey guys. Time for the Blog Chain again. I have to say, skipping last round while I was getting myself a little more in balance was strange for me. I really missed it.
Okay, on to this question stared by the fabulous Eric. He wants to know:
What do you find to be the most challenging aspect of being a writer? What is your greatest reward from writing?
Great question, right? I perfect for my current place on this journey.
For me, the hardest part of being a writer is maintaining the confidence necessary to continue writing, in spite of everything else.
Writing, for me, is a tough task master. She requires 100% of me if I’m going to pour onto the paper the story that was meant to be told. She requires the stamina to continually rewrite and polish, all to get at the heart of the story. Writing requires bravery if I’m going to tackle the hard emotions with authenticity, humility to keep learning the craft, and perseverance to see a project through to the end.
And all of those qualities – stamina, bravery, humility, perseverance – require an aspect of confidence. But not just run-of-mill confidence, no. I’m talking about the confidence needed to climb back up the hill no matter how many times you fall down. The confidence to remember why you do this to begin with.
I’ve recently fallen down that hill. And this time (yeah, this time…I tend to fall down this hill a lot), getting up was one of the hardest things I’ve had to do so far in my writing career. I truly did not think I would. I considered walking away from writing. Permanently. Considered myself nuts for even trying to break into some aspects of this business.
Enter my writerly friends…they helped me remember the things I love about writing. Crafting the story. Getting lost inside of some character’s head a while. The freedom of creating that initial draft. The pure love of molding words on a page.
Yeah, I can’t walk away. I’m hooked.
And maybe that’s the best part of writing – that no matter what dark place I fall into as I try to reach my goals (and yes, writer’s at ALL PLACES in the journey STILL fall into those dark places), I know, deep down inside, that I can’t walk away. Not for long.
My muse will not silence.
I guess until it does, until I feel I have nothing left to say, I am here – learning to build my confidence and continue forging up the hill, one step at a time.
To hear other answers to Eric’s fab question, check out Kat’s response before me and Margie’s response tomorrow.
And to get a GREAT picture of what that hill looks like for a published writer, check out this post – it was truly inspirational to me.
Finally, I have a question for you…what is the hardest part of writing for YOU?
Christine, I love your answer (and the link you provide at the end)!
Ah, thanks Lisa! That means a lot to me.
Christine, this is a truly fabulous answer. I am so glad though, that you have not decided to quit. And if you ever do get those inclinations, please email me so I can bonk you over the head with a Nerf bat (virtually, that is). You are such a talented writer, and I would really be sad if you let all that talent die on the vine.
Ah Eric, I think you made my day. And I will definitely email you!
The answer is definitely confidence. The echoes that reverbrate asking, are you good enough, or even talented. I get a huge lift that people like the writing on the blog, thing is I write in a very different, very dark perspective for books.
Honestly, I wouldn’t change a thing. I like that I can have two very distinctive voices.
It does however create the, “Who is to say they’ll like the dark aspect of my writing?”
At the same time, I think it’s healthy to have some fears and humility. The trick is to not let it stop me from finishing what I’ve started. (Hugs)Indigo
I love that you have different “voices”. I do too…and even within the books I write! My Nonfiction voice is FAR removed from my fiction voice, especially when I’m writing dark fantasy or very intense, emotionally driven contemporary.
Je vous admire Christine !
Merci, Benoit. That is very kind!
I think it is the hardest thing indeed to start climbing up the hill after you’ve tumbled down. Kudos to you for getting up again!
Thanks Sandra!
wow – that link is crazy LOL And like some of the other comments have said, we all fall, it’s the getting up again that counts 🙂 Happy writing!
Definitely! It’s the getting up again that counts.
Great answer Christine, and I agree 100%!
Thanks Ali!
Oh, yeah, that urge to quit is a tough one. Bravo for working through it!!!
Great post, Christine! 😀
Thanks Laura!
Great post, Christine. The four qualities you describe resonate for all of us, I imagine.
Christine,
Thank you so much for sharing that! I’m bookmarking this entry and reading it on days I feel like I’m tumbling down the hill. I am very sorry you came so close to quitting but happy you pulled yourself out of the darkness. Never quit what you love and are talented at.
Eric – LOL!
Christine – you hit the nail on the head. I had one of those, “Why the heck am I doing this?” moments myself, just yesterday! But you’re so right, I’ll always go back to it. I guess I just have to give myself permission to throw a pity party as long as I make it short and move on. 🙂
Those hills be damned. I’ve fallen down them so many times, gotten a few dings along the way, but as long as I’m not broken I’ll get back up and start climbing again. You’re a fantastic writer, Christine, and you’re also someone who’s made me feel like climbing up the hill can’t be done alone. This is why we have writer friends to push us to keep going even when we feel like giving up.
It’s completely true that every time you pick yourself up, you get stronger. Every time I run into a roadblock and I think about quitting, it just reenforces my love for writing. Great post!
I fall down that hill a lot, too. That’s why I stopped taking my writing so seriously and stopped putting so much importance on my quest to be published.
I started focusing more on writing as a personal outlet. I’m much more at peace with the idea that it will happen when it happens.
Great link – it is always so interesting to hear these stories of what happens after you get the agent and sell the book!
And yeah, the whole maintaining a confident attitude thing is huge! I pretty much have to give myself a pep talk everytime I open Word to write something new.
Always keep going back up that hill! I’ve had to do that a lot myself, lately. Great post.
Boy do I know about the confidence issues! In fact, it was part of why my last revision crashed and burned. I think one of the hardest parts about what we do as writers is learning to trust our instincts and our talent! Great post, Christine.