Wednesday, November 06, 2013

From Head to Hand: In it to Win it

It's quite possible that the best writers in the world are not actually the best writers in the world.

Perhaps no-one knows the best writers because they've never actually taken the first step towards becoming published....getting started!

I had some brilliant writers in my Creative Writing classes at uni.  I could imagine that some of them would be good enough to make it in the cutthroat writing world, but I wonder if they've ever actually written something since uni days.  Perhaps they just went and got an ordinary 'day job', became overcome with the usual busyness that goes with family, career and life in general in suburbia and forgot all about writing.

You've got to be in it to win it.

When I hear some people say they're going to start writing a book, unfortunately I just don't believe them.  They don't stick to anything, they just have a million ideas that never really get off the ground and a few half-baked attempts.  They forget that writing takes 90% perspiration and only 10% inspiration.

I know that some people doubt I will ever get my book published.  But I've started editing again for the first time since Rory was born.  Approximately once a week, I put him in daycare for a few hours and go to the public library in town with my laptop and edit away.  Every word is a word closer to the finish line.

I won't give up.  I may not be the most talented writer out there, but at least I can say that I did it...I wrote a book.  Whether it ends up published or not, I gave it a shot.