Earlier this week I drove my eldest son up to Seattle to return to university for his Master's degree. As we proceeded up the I -5 corridor David read a book, while my mind wandered to the winding path my own life has taken.
Being a writer is a multi-faceted vocation; to be successful one must be accomplished at navigating a number of skills:
Writing; editing; marketing; organizing; networking; management; being disciplined; able to persevere - and on and on. I have met a few writers who seem to have found a way to balance these tasks, but for most of us, it's a whole different kind of work in progress!
There is no road map for the storyteller's journey. Sure, there are some guidelines - but every one's road is a bit different. A few principles I have discovered pertain not only to my writing journey - but to life in general:
1- Asking for directions is a great way to chart a course; especially from someone more experienced than ourselves. (However, this is no guarantee of making the correct choices for one's career.)
2- Turning around when you realize you've gone down an incorrect road is something nobody wants to do - but it's part of the progress. (Lots of learning can be gained by going down bunny trails!)
3- Being able to find your way when you're truly lost takes perseverance - a lot of it. (I believe writers are some of the most persevering people I've ever met!)
As we neared the Seattle Metro area, I realized that the tough part of the trip was ahead - driving in a major city is not high on my list of favorite things to do! The last leg of any journey is usually the most difficult. I thought about how I wouldn't take my son back to our hometown if I couldn't reach our destination immediately - I would figure it out. The same holds true for my own journey as a writer - turning around and giving up is not an option. It seems that no matter how uncertain our road is, the commitment to reach our goal (no matter what) ultimately is what will bring us success.
(I did deliver my son successfully to his new residence for the next three years, without a problem - and I don't even have a GPS system!)
How do you navigate your writing career when your road is uncertain?
