Tuesday, March 14, 2006

One of those days...

I wish I could just go home and write. Forget the day job. Forget bills. Forget marriage problems and money problems.

Just immerse myself in my manuscript.

Maybe go to Barnes & Noble and write for awhile, then switch to a picnic table at the park, or even just plant myself on my couch with music playing in the background, a pair of comfy sweats on, with my Diet Pepsi and dark chocolate nearby.

Strange, how when those days actually present themselves, it's very hard to get to that point - to actually sit down and do what you've dreamed of doing. It's more the thought of the dream than the dream itself.

Is that what it will be like when I am finally published? Will reality smack me in the face like a wet fish? (Ewww...)

I've held the dream of being published since I was in the sixth grade. That's a long time. And in that time, I know I've built up certain expectations. I doubt all of those expectations will come true. But still...I'll take the reality right along with the dream. I can do no less.

12 comments:

  1. Anonymous3:11 PM

    The thought of the dream, not the dream itself. So true. But I'd still love to give it a go!

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  2. Anonymous4:28 PM

    I know just what you mean...I wish I could escape from it all and just write too.

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  3. Dreams are good--but reality would be much sweeter I think :)

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  4. Anonymous7:12 PM

    I know exactly what you mean. I think sometimes the dream is more exciting than the reality. It's hard to discipline myself to do the work when I'm finally presented with free time. Life is so busy that when I can relax a little that's all I want to do. Disciplining yourself is part of the process. *sigh*

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  5. Anonymous7:33 PM

    Oh I hear you. I kept looking out the window and thinking how ready I am to give up the day job. I just sold my first book a few months ago and before I even finished doing the happy dance they brought me down to earth by telling me I should plan not to leave the day job until book four or five. sigh.

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  6. Smack you in the face like a wet fish??? You slay me, girlfriend.

    I expect when I sell my first novel my live will be just like Nora Roberts. I will be rich enough to by my Aston Martin DB9 and a little vacation retreat in Tahiti. I hope I'm not being unrealistic.

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  7. Life really does consist of a good mix of reality and dreams. One can't exist without the other. Hope your dream comes true soon :-) Keep reaching for it!

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  8. I don't think you're being unrealistic at all Rene. I fully expect to jet between my villa in Tuscany, my castle in Scotland and my summer home in the South of France between writing scintilating novels that hit #1 on the bestseller list every single time and stay there for practically forever.

    Although at the moment, I'd settle for mornings off so I don't have to stop writing at 8:30 and go to work...

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  9. I'd settle for half-nekkid cabana boys.

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  10. If anyone knows what you mean about just being able to write and forget bills, jobs and such. If I could I'd put the 2 year old in a mother's day out program, have the kids involved in day activities during the summer, and I for durn sure wouldn't be keeping other people's children in my home to make a buck! Yesterday I had my IPod on, cranked, and could still hear those little angles chomping on popcorn! HELP!!! hehe

    Keep this in mind. In fact, I have it on my desk so I can read it at will...

    Never give up your dreams. The day you give up is the day you might have succeeded. Never relinquish your hope. The day you do is the day you lose sight of all you cold have accopmlished.

    I got that from Gena Showalter's web site. She rocks.

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  11. Anonymous8:00 AM

    I hope it's not like getting slapped by a wet fish. But Mel, if you don't have dreams and goals, you have nothing to work towards. Maybe we should start some kind of writers' commune. We could make quilts or bake bread and sell it at a market to pay bills.

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  12. Jason - it's definitely hard to reconcile the two sometimes, but I'm going for it, too!

    Amy - hope you get to escape from it all sometime soon!

    Toni - I'm thinking you're right about reality being sweeter. I hope to find out soon. :-)


    Bren - thanks for stopping by! Disicipline is a big factor in this whole writing gig, and I agree - when you do get a spare moment, it's easier to just relax. And sometimes we really do need to do that, otherwise we'll get burned out.

    Eileen - Glad you stopped by! Congrats on selling your first novel! You must be ECSTATIC!

    Rene - I have every confidence that you'll be able to be just like Nora. :-)

    Tess - thanks!

    Eve - if those half-naked cabana boys look like Christian Bale or Matthew McConaughey, I'll take 'em!

    Dana - LOVE the quote. I may have to print that out and frame it. I still don't know how you do it - I'd have lost my sanity long ago.

    Nienke - I like the writers' commune idea. But then we'd still have a pesky day job. We just need to win the lottery. :-)

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