Are You Committed to the Craft of Writing?

by Alycia Morales

NOTE: I will be sharing quotes from Jeff Goins' newest book throughout this post. The Art of Work releases in March, but for a limited time you can get a FREE copy if you {click here}.






Have you ever had one of those years when you've been working on a project and you keep hitting a brick wall? You think you've got your plot line figured out, but when you round the next corner ... WHAM! And it's back to the drawing board.

Yeah, me too. I've been working on my first novel for two years now. I thought I had it finished. I thought it might be salable. My friends loved it.

Except for one. She hated my weak female character (so did I) and would have thrown the book across the room if it wasn't in her laptop. Her final issue with it was that I had promised my reader a suspense novel and dropped

  ...the...
               ...ball...

I was so thankful for her honest feedback.

We writers are told about this thing called "thick skin." We're told we need to develop it. Here are a few reasons why:

• We are surrounded by critics.
• We are rejected.
• Our pages get slayed with red ink.
• And friends who love us tell us the hard-to-hear-it truth about our lack of skill.

The question then becomes - as Jeff Goins points out in his latest book, The Art of Work - Are you committed to the craft, or will you quit when it gets too hard?

I've spent the past few months trying to work out that suspense thread. More than once I've looked up from the screen and asked God, "Am I supposed to be writing suspense?"

I hit so many brick walls, I almost wanted to give up trying to find a plot line that would work. It seemed that every time I thought I had it figured out, I found out something else wouldn't work. I am so thankful I was simply trying to outline the story rather than writing it out. I'd have so many pages of unusable material at this point.

I have to say, I came to a very uncomfortable point in what I consider to be my calling. I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to find a corner I could round and keep moving forward.

My ability alone could get me no farther. I needed a breakthrough.

And just when I thought I should try writing something else, God provided it.

I was in Target, looking at pens. Another lady entered the aisle and perused the pens as well. She pointed out an opened pack and wondered aloud why someone would open it and put it back on the shelf. I pointed out another pack someone had opened and taken one pen from before placing it back on the shelf. She mentioned how picky nurses are about their pens. I mentioned how picky writers are about their pens. She asked what I write. I mentioned a few things, including my novel.

And she asked every writer's favorite question: What's your story about?

I have always struggled with an elevator pitch for this book. For the first time in two years, the words rolled off my tongue without effort. Three simple sentences. My spirit man jumped within, celebrating a sudden breakthrough.

I was able to go home and write out a back-cover-copy-length synopsis. My plot line was now incredibly clear.

So when you're facing those brick walls in your writing career, when you've had enough criticism and rejection, and you wonder if you should give up, remember:

• Ask yourself if you're committed to your craft. If not, it may not be your calling.
• Take yourself beyond what you think is possible. If at first you don't succeed, try, try again.
• Watch for the little things in life. They may reveal the breakthrough you've been waiting for.

Tweetables:

What do you do when you keep hitting brick walls in your plot line? {Click to Tweet} 

You must be committed to the craft of writing if you consider it your calling. {Click to Tweet}

What about you? Have you ever had to consider whether or not to keep writing? To pursue that story line? What tips do you have for pushing through those walls?