Thank you Stephanie and Jan for reminding me about 2 things: 1) To keep up this blog! 2) To be more compassionate.
Their comment comes on the heels of a short answer I compiled for O magazine. If you want to read my little published shpeal on compassion, it’s right here.
But the main reason I’m writing this is that I think too many of us get comfy in our writing couches and stop taking chances. Maybe we had HUGE dreams about what it would mean to be a freelance writer and since we didn’t achieve them, we kind of just gave up.
I had big dreams too. I wanted to be a self-help writer who writes about mental health issues, the environment and writes copy for cute whimsical companies on the side. On days when I have too much time to think I get down about that. Until my logical side slaps my creative side and says the following: “Doh dude, you already did that! Get back to work!”
It’s so easy to get lost in the once-in-the-lifetime dreams like writing for O magazine when your dream life is right in front of you. We think that to be successful means we need to be published in a huge publication, be known in the writing industry or be a published author. But for many of us it means making our clients happy, getting new gigs, challenging our creative muscle. Just because you’re in the latter category, doesn’t mean you’re a loser or you’re never going to get there. What it means it that you’re right now on the writing road to success. You’re just in the early stages and the only way you won’t get there is if you give up.
This quote by author Christina Katz came to me in the form of a Writer’s Digest newsletter and I’m so grateful for it. For any of you out there who feels bummed out that you haven’t “made it yet,” read this:
“Stop waiting for big success and aim for a series of small successes instead. Many writers are waiting to hit the mother lode, so to speak, of writing success. But success lies in taking aim at targets you are likely to actually hit and then hitting them one after the other. That’s how experience is gained in an otherwise complex and mysterious profession.”
~ Christina Katz
Hi Brandi – sorry I missed the O fame. Now, I can say I knew you when. 😉 I agree we can stall when we define success as hitting the big time; however, I also think we can get in the way of our happiness when we do what we think we should instead of what we want.
At least I know I suffer from that syndrome. I’ve spent 30+ years in the healthcare/insurance industry and that is primarily my niche for my business writing. Don’t get me wrong, there are lots of small successes. But, what I want to do is write books about life and write fiction (what writer doesn’t, huh?) 😉
So, as I said on my friend, Sharon Hurley Hall’s Get Paid to Write Online blog, I want my business writing to bring in consistent income so I can do what I want to do.
Hey Cathy! Thanks for coming over here. Long time no see. It’s funny because in my mind, you are a writing success! I guess success like beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. I think success is also different from dreams. We always need new dreams. That’s what gets us out of bed in the morning and off of our comfy couches. And I definitely love what you said about making a “consistent income” so we can do what we like to do. I used to think there’s was only one path towards your dreams. Now I realize there are many. Looking forward to reading that book one day!
Leave your site for a second and you changed the theme again. 🙂 I like it.
There is all kind of success. I like to think I am successful, too, but I just want to stretch to a new kind of success. 🙂
You know how I love to change my themes! 😉 Your comment definitely suggests this post isn’t necessary for you. You’re one of the ambitious ones my friend. Hence your writing awesomeness, success and longevity in the field. You are one of my writing heroes.