There are many obstacles faced by writers.
Fear.
Self-doubt.
The dreaded "Writer's Block".
There are several things that are placed in our paths to keep us from attaining our goals; some occur naturally, some are placed there by others, and some we put in our way ourselves.
My greatest enemy is procrastination. Not every writer deals with this, but I'm sure I'm not the only one.
It's easy to joke about:
"I'll join Procrastinators Anonymous next week."
"Never do today what you can put off til tomorrow."
"The early worm gets eaten by the bird."
At the end of the day, however, when you've accomplished nothing to move yourself forward, it's not all that funny.
I call it "Someday Syndrome", because it's so easy to get caught up in "Someday, I'll be a published writer. Someday, I'll make enough money writing that I won't have to do anything else." Then you ease into the dream (and it's such a nice dream, it really is) and spend your time dreaming it instead of doing it.
It's easy to blame it on someone or something else. For years, I was married to a woman who told me that my dreams were foolishness, and I should give them up. I'd never be able to make a living as a writer, so stop trying.
I could blame her, but it's my fault that I fell into the trap of "Someday, I'll prove her wrong."
Here's the thing about Someday...it never arrives. It's always just today, and today is all you have to work with.
The dream is a beautiful thing, yes. And dreaming is important--no, vital--to a writer.
But it will never become anything other than a dream if you don't make it happen.
The moments drip past, turning into a steady stream of tomorrows; this keeps flowing stronger and longer into the raging River of Neverwhen.
It's been said that the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
Well, guess what? The writing of War and Peace began with a single word.
I still dream. But there's a song that says "Don't dream it, be it" (yes, The Rocky Horror Picture Show--funny what you can learn from Tim Curry in drag, eh?).
Today is all I have. It's the only place I can be.
I'm making today "Someday".
**********************
til later (sorry, sometimes I can't help myself ;)),
Brad
This post really resonates with me (as I troll through various blogs instead of doing revisions).
ReplyDeleteChristi
Sigh, that's my biggest problem, too. Even bigger than my struggle to verbalize what I imagine. I really need to work on cranking out more of my stories. I can make better use of my time than I do now.
ReplyDeleteYou are wise, sir. Someday Syndrome is so easy to fall into. And much safer too. ;-) Putting your writing out into the world is tough. It's tough to get rejection after rejection. But you have to believe in yourself, even when it feels like no one else does.
ReplyDeleteSomeday that acceptance will come . . .
;-)