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Monday, May 31, 2010

Some Things I Tell Kids....

Sometimes I get asked what makes someone a writer.

First response: You have to have the imagination.

But it is not enough. I mean, every kid has imagination, right?

When I look around the faces of children who consider themselves writers versus those who do not, when I look around at blogs that feature wonderful news from aspiring/established writers, when I look at my own stories.....one thing stands out--

Perseverance.

The kids who write don't give up.

The bloggers who move from aspiring to established continued to climb the mountain, even when it was hard.

And every story that I manage to finish is a battle well fought and won.

Those who make it as writers do not surrender. They do not lay down their pens nor close their laptops in disgust when the right words do not come. They stay and fight.

And when you fight to get the words down, when you don't give up, you realize it's not a war at all. (Well, the war is not with the words...it's with yourself and your own will. )

No one who ever made it gave up.

So, if you know in your heart of hearts that you are a writer, then you know what you have to do. You have to stand tough. You have to write strong. You must let no one tell you that you can't do it.

Because you can.

hrh

17 comments:

Sherrie Petersen said...

This is perfect, Shelley, and just what I needed right now. Thank you!

Hayley Lovell said...

I really needed to read that, and it just made me feel--right. Thank you for this post, I really needed it!

Myrna Foster said...

This post reminds me of that part in Chicken Run, the one where Rocky tells the chickens they need three things: hard work, perseverance, and hard work.

The other rooster yells out, "You said 'hard work' TWICE!"

"Well, that's because it takes twice as much work as perseverance!"

Great post! And good luck with your first draft!

storyqueen said...

Sherrie-it was probably for me as much as anyone else!

Hayley-I'm glad it hit the right spot! (I really needed it, too!)

Myrna- I Love Chicken Run!! (But I might disagree. I think it takes twice as much perseverance. I mean, people who stick with it make it. Nobody who gives up ever gets there...

Dawn Simon said...

Awesome post, Shelley! You're absolutely right.

Catherine Denton said...

I'm gonna hang that word on my computer--Perseverance. Thanks for the reminder.
Winged Writer

PJ Hoover said...

OMG, it really is all about not giving up, isn't it.
Have a great week!

Tricia J. O'Brien said...

No surrender and having good friends who write things like this. :D

Myrna Foster said...

I didn't mean to argue with you - just quoting the silly movie! It DOES take perseverance.

storyqueen said...

Dawn-I've missed you! Thanks for stopping by again.

Catherine-It is something I need to remember more than I do...

PJ-Yes, I think it's really what it comes down to, sometimes anyway. If you just don't give up....

Tricia-Aw, thanks...but i do think I really wrote it more for me than anyone else!

Myrna-Only true friends can debate the cryptic meanings of chickens!! I am glad to count you among mine!

Ann Marie Wraight said...

Well said Shelley - you hit the nail on the head!

THANKS for this!

Natalie said...

Amen Shelley! It's so hard to keep going some days, but it really is all about perseverence. Thanks for the encouragement.

Jackee said...

"No one who ever made it gave up."

Truer words never spoken! :o) Goonies never say die.

Thanks for the pep talk, Shelley, I need you to post this once a week. Okay? (Ha, ha.)

Nishant said...

This is perfect,
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Nishant said...

it was probably for me as much as anyone else!
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Julie Dao said...

I love this post, Shelley. I'm so sharing it on Twitter - wonderful words of encouragement. I hope I'm a mountain-climber. I'm just getting to the steep part and it makes me wonder.

Nishant said...

I needed right now. Thank you!
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