Monday, April 20, 2009

Encouragement, Or Keep Trying

Today, I will link a nice, encouraging article that makes you feel like you can keep going despite the odds.  It is here.  Scroll past the Susan Boyle stuff, because probably everyone has heard that story. Underneath is a tale about a woman who was rejected over 2,000 times.  Isn't that something?

Someone underneath had a really nice comment about how she keeps optimistic in the face of difficulty, having adopted aunts Helen Keller and Rosa Parks.  Now, it would be kind of silly telling your aunts you had a hard time doing something, isn't it?  How do you tell Helen Keller you had a bad day?  Exactly.

This is probably really lame, but when I have a hard time writing or a bad day in general, I imagine that scene in LotR: Return of the King the movie (the one case where I like the movies better than the books, sorry JRR), when Frodo is climbing up Mount Doom.  That look on his face.  Oh, goodness.  I think you should all know, regardless of how many times I watch LotR, I cry at the end.  Every time.  Basically, I think, if Frodo can climb up Mount Doom with his bare hands and no shoes, I can write a freaking passage.  Or get through an exam.  Or whatever.  It's fictional, but don't fictional characters always speak to people on a deeper level?

I wrote 1,800 words for "Beauty and the Minotaur" today.  Writing short stories is kind of obnoxious because I don't track progress on my blog, and then it looks like I haven't been doing anything.  But I am!  I'm still writing!  Granted, my writing schedule has drastically slowed down. And obviously, I spent a bit catching up on fanfiction. But the writing is still happening.  As for the current short story, I love Ariadne!  She's a brat and a bully, but I hope her good qualities redeem her flaws.  She has a lot of flaws.

Also, I think Rebecca has an awesome topic for the blog chain this week, and I can't wait to address it.  And read other people's responses!  Check it out on the side ------->

2 comments:

  1. This probably sounds ridiculous, but I've found using my love of writing has been helpful in finding an encouragement technique that keeps me from giving up.

    I make a list of things I've accomplished on any given day.

    Some days the lists are pretty skimpy, and sometimes they're downright stupid ("I managed to keep the dog off the couch so I don't have to use the lint brush yet again"), but having it there in black and white (or red and white, since sometimes I write with lipstick if I can't find a pen :-)) gives me a feeling of accomplishment ... and since I spend so much time focused on writing anyway, I find it's pretty easy to find the time.

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  2. I am big on lists too. I have to write down my progress in numerous places, because having it physically in front of my eyes makes me feel better. I'm the kind of person, where when I'm not writing, I get frantic, and I feel like I NEED to write. But when I sit down, I find myself distracted by a billion different things. Generally, I have to unplug the Ethernet cord or "ration" minutes of Internet to keep myself on task. It works though!

    Thanks for stopping by.

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