Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Taking Chances

I never knew I was so brave. :) Writers take a lot of chances. "Necessity is the mother of taking chances" Mark Twain got it right. Writers have a lot of decisions to make while writing a book. Playin' it safe doesn't apply. We put ourselves out there. When we actually get the courage to let others read our babies we are taking chances. What if they don't like it? I can't tell you how many times I have thought that. Even still today I think it. I wonder what my crit partner will say about it. And Beth is a SUPER crit partner who is super encouraging. I love you Beth!!But still, we wonder.

Now I'm taking chances again. I'm querying. And asking the same questions. What if? What if? I knew I had a plan. A plan to write a book, get an agent, and then sit back drinking pina coladas while riding my horses. Nix the drinking while on one of my horses. Not a smart thing to do. New plan. Drinking pina coladas from my boat! Much better. I'll have someone drive the boat too. :)

I've decided to put those questions out of my head. After this past weekend, I've exchanged those questions for POSITIVE thinking. Now I ask why not? Why not? Why can't I have a driver for my boat and drink pina coladas till I ...? And why shouldn't I get an agent that sells my book and the one after that and the one after that? It's all good. As long as I keep the negativity out of my head and heart.

What about you? Have you dumped the negative thoughts and realized the chances you are taking will work out eventually? Do you know how brave you are? :)

26 comments:

  1. It never ends...

    we need courage to :

    get critique
    query
    submit to editors once agented
    and imagine the stress (though exciting) that will come when our books finally hit the shelves....will they bomb? what will the reviews be?

    at least, these are my wierd neurotic worries ;)

    but you are right. if we show courage and push forward, it will all work out and we will realize those dreams.

    btw, you should see my post on a certain query rule today. maybe you already know it...

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  2. Positive thinking is the key to success.

    In that vein of thinking, do not use the word 'not' since that's a negative word.

    No, I haven't been drinking this morning. I read a book, or something, that said to phrase things positively.

    So, instead of asking yourself the questions, why not (sorry) just say . . .

    I will have an agent.

    I will have a driver for my boat and drink pina colodas . . .

    It's all in the positives, my friend, and eliminate even one pesky negative (not) is a step toward the positive!!

    S

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  3. No,no,no. I will not be negative. There, Scott can cringe.
    We are brave, but it sure helps to have friends who understand. So I thank every one of you I've met in Blogland.

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  4. I've posted an award for you on my site! Stop by @ your earliest convenience! God bless you, Robyn!

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  5. Tess, I will stop by. And I probably don't know it. Query rules have this way of slipping by me. :) And I have the same neurosis. I can't wait for all that to happen. WOOHOO!

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  6. Scott, like Tricia said, "No,no,no. I will NOT be negative. Ahahahahahaha

    Seriously though, I will try to rid my vocabulary of any and all NO words, unless the kids are asking for something. :)

    I'm feeling better. Now I must go for a ride and soothe my soul. :)

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  7. It's hard not to let self doubt creep in. I find I even do it when my crit partners email me saying good things. I think, do they really mean it. I think sometiems we are our own worst enemies.

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  8. Maria, I'm heading over now. Thanks so much! Can't wait to see it. :)

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  9. Awesome post, Robyn. :)

    I've decided to start feeding my doubts to my minions. O:) I would so be there if maid service--no, free maid service--was part of the publishing contract. :D

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  10. I stay positive, but I also am realistic. Too often, I've built up my hopes, only to feel bitter and disillusioned. Now, I try to focus on the work instead of the end result, while trusting my dreams will come true.

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  11. Tricia, love,love your answer to Scott. *grin*

    But you're right. Friends who understand. No one can truly 'get' it unless they're going through it. And I'm so thankful for all the bloggy pals. When I'm in misery, I want them to feel my pain too. :) Kidding. Or am I?

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  12. Patti, I've had so much self doubt lately, I could feed Danyelle's minions and they'd be full for two weeks. But I want, I'm trying to let go of it. It's so hard! You hit the nail on the head. I can be my own worst enemy. :) Gotta stop that too.

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  13. Danyelle, I'm feeding your minions today. I've got a lot to give them! Hey! Free maid service, teacher, cook, and chauffeur. If only those were the other requirements. You and I would have it made! :)

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  14. Jill, I know bitter and feelings of disillusion believe me. Isn't it great to know that you know exactly how I've felt and I know exactly how you've felt?

    But just write and the other stuff is the icing on the chocolate cake. Yum! :)

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  15. Everything is possible to him that believe! God reminds me of this everyday I sit at the keyboard and fear the I will never measure up.

    Keep believing Robyn!

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  16. Chances are all we have - and taking them is the only way to get anywhere. I live by that code. Well, I try to...LOL!

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  17. Tamika, so true! I will keep the faith and keep believing. :)

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  18. Chantal, I looked up chance in the dictionary. Risk, unplanned and this is the one I love, likelihood or probability. Great huh? :)

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  19. I read this great book once called 'Change your Questions, Change your life.' It's all about not asking negative judging questions (Why can't I succeed? Why is everyone else doing better than I am? Why aren't I good enough?) to positive, learning ones: (What can I learn from this? What can I do differently moving forward? How can I strengthen myself to meet my goals?)

    It really helped me silence the negative voices when something bad happens (rejections, disappointments, etc.) Good for you for changing your thought process--it really does help and is what will keep you in the game. People who can't change their negative internal questions are the ones who are most likely to give up.

    Hugs!

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  20. I have a hard time not listening to the negative voices while in the midst of querying. It's a difficult process, and it does take a lot of bravery. Still, in my soul, I'm a storyteller, and I want people to hear my stories, so it's just part of the ugly process. I have a lot of people that believe in me, and I focus on that.

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  21. I'm a pretty negative thinking. Maybe skeptical is a better word. I think it comes from my scientific research, where I feel like I'm more objective if I doubt my results. It makes me work harder and often produces better results, even if I'm more stressed! At the same time, I think I have a universally optimistic outlook. Even if I see my road as difficult, I think it's POSSIBLE, and that's what keeps me going.

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  22. Angela, I am thinking more positively, until I open a rejection email. ARGH!

    But I am going to take the words can't, won't, no, not out of my vocabulary where it pertains to writing. I really think positive thinking breeds more positive thinking. Thanks for the hugs Angela. I needed them. :)

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  23. Wendy, I too have a lot of people that believe in me. Still I must hush the negativity that can pop up without a moments notice. I'm a storyteller too, so I know that positive thinking will take me far. :)

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  24. Davin, everything is possible. Even in this business. When I hear stories of writers that just started their first book and six months later they have an agent. Yikes! That's tough to hear. I'm happy for them, I just wonder why they didn't pay up. Their dues. At least it appears like they didn't pay dues. :)

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  25. Best of luck to you! This is exciting.

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  26. I've now got the stage of DWS* where it takes every ounce of courage I have (and even some I don't think I have) to just sit down and write. The only way I've been able to do it is by telling myself every day that being published is not the goal...writing a better book than my last one is the only goal. So, yes, I think writer's are incredibly brave people! :)

    [*DWS = Desperate Writer's Syndrome: when an aspiring author is feeling like all the struggle has been in vain; that there never will be an agent, an editor or a publisher who will love her baby as much as she does. Common symptoms include blogging (for instant gratification), a willingness to accept any offer (any offer AT ALL), and attaching an excessive importance to the slightest words of praise about her writing]

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