Like most imaginative professions the question of a characterised success in writing is not easy to boil down into one definitive answer.
Just as there are a mob of writing styles, so too are there many examples of writing success.
Cases
1. "If I can just complete my first story, I will have success." 2. "If I can just act upon the courage to put forward this to a publisher, I will have success." 3. "If I can really receive a check in the mail for a magazine article, I will have success." 4. "If I can just publish my first book, I will have success." 5. "If I can just have my book published by a major publisher, I will have success." 6. "If I can just get my book in the bestseller listing, I will have success." 7. "If I can just keep up with all the writing work I have been empowered to do, I will have success." 8. "If I can only be esteemed in the same way as other literary heavyweights, I will have success."
"The secret of contentment is knowing how to enjoy what you have, and to be able to lose all desire for things beyond your reach." Lin Yu-t'ang
There is a difference between contentment and self-complacency. In the first case, we learn to be happy in the conditions we find ourselves in. In the second case, you merely settle for where you are without an interest in doing something more.
"A man will never be content with what he wants until he is content with what he has." - Bill Gothard
As authors we should always strive for our finest. It is a good idea to set a small possible goal for the short term with possibly a one and six year plan in place for where we would like to be. This goal can be readjusted each year.
The problem many writers have is they set their goals so high they may not be able to reach them, or they make the goal sacrosanct they miss out on life in pursuit of the goal. Should they actually reach the goal, the effect of reaching the pinnacle often serves as a pin to pop an inflated balloon. For some, the ultimate goal they have chosen leaves them feeling hollow because they never understood the need for contentment. Once the 'ultimate goal' is realized the author has nothing more to look forward to and they struggle through issues related to their overall motivation.
By learning the fine art of contentment while refusing to be complacent will serve you well as you grapple with issues of personal writing success.
Just as there are a mob of writing styles, so too are there many examples of writing success.
Cases
1. "If I can just complete my first story, I will have success." 2. "If I can just act upon the courage to put forward this to a publisher, I will have success." 3. "If I can really receive a check in the mail for a magazine article, I will have success." 4. "If I can just publish my first book, I will have success." 5. "If I can just have my book published by a major publisher, I will have success." 6. "If I can just get my book in the bestseller listing, I will have success." 7. "If I can just keep up with all the writing work I have been empowered to do, I will have success." 8. "If I can only be esteemed in the same way as other literary heavyweights, I will have success."
"The secret of contentment is knowing how to enjoy what you have, and to be able to lose all desire for things beyond your reach." Lin Yu-t'ang
There is a difference between contentment and self-complacency. In the first case, we learn to be happy in the conditions we find ourselves in. In the second case, you merely settle for where you are without an interest in doing something more.
"A man will never be content with what he wants until he is content with what he has." - Bill Gothard
As authors we should always strive for our finest. It is a good idea to set a small possible goal for the short term with possibly a one and six year plan in place for where we would like to be. This goal can be readjusted each year.
The problem many writers have is they set their goals so high they may not be able to reach them, or they make the goal sacrosanct they miss out on life in pursuit of the goal. Should they actually reach the goal, the effect of reaching the pinnacle often serves as a pin to pop an inflated balloon. For some, the ultimate goal they have chosen leaves them feeling hollow because they never understood the need for contentment. Once the 'ultimate goal' is realized the author has nothing more to look forward to and they struggle through issues related to their overall motivation.
By learning the fine art of contentment while refusing to be complacent will serve you well as you grapple with issues of personal writing success.
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Want to find out more about publish your first book, then visit Lesliem Roches's site on how to choose the best writing tools for your needs. This article, If I Can Just Finish My First Book I Will Have Success has free reprint rights.
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