So there I was, in my last post, saying how helpful it is to write everyday. That was on July 7. July 8, I slept in and didn’t write. July 9, I wrote — Yay! But today, July 10, I’m up early but sadly to work, not write. I’m not sure I’ll be able to write today. Oh well. We keep going.
Current word count: 11,063
Words written yesterday: 363
Words to goal: 28,937/ 349 words a day til end of September
From time to time, I discover new writing-related blogs, from writers, editors, agents and publishers and add them to my blog roll. My most recent is by Michael Hyatt, CEO of publishing house Thomas Nelson, Inc. The cool thing is he has two, one regular blog and one, called Resources, for short snippets about things he finds useful. My favorites in his Resources posts are the quotes, and the one that stuck out to me the other day was by Helen Keller:
“Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.” –Helen Keller
So, when you’re toiling away at your novel, suffering through rejections and doubts, think that this is all part of your journey, strengthening your soul.
Here’s another:
“The temptation to quit will be greatest just before you are about to succeed.” –Old Chinese proverb
This is probably what keeps gamblers continuing to play even after big losses, but for writers, where any loss is only experience gained, this thought can help us keep up our motivation.
Hyatt has lots of other good quotes on the page — I love the one on avoiding writing from P.J. O’Rourke, but it’s long, so I’ll let you click over to read it — so, if you ever need some inspiration, head over there and browse away.
How’s your writing coming?
Write On!
Thomas Nelson Publishers CEO Michael Hyatt (pictured, via) has published a list of the 100 Bestselling Christian Books of 2010. We’ve included the top five books below, follow this link to see the complete list.
I’ll have to check out that blog!
I went through my first two chapters again, made even more changes, and finally managed to moved on. I got through 18 new pages today! Unfortunately, I’m still not loving them…
They’ll get there. I hope you get time to write today, and if not today, definitely tomorrow!
Wow! 18 pages. That’s awesome, Casey. Well done. Don’t worry if you’re still not loving them. Sometimes you can’t make them great, until you’ve fixed other things about them. You’ve taken your first step. Continue to move through the revision, and in your next round, you can work to make them closer to loving them.
Those are great quotes! I’ll have to check out these blogs.