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Grab a cup of tea or coffee (oh what the heck, get a danish too!) and sit a spell. You might want to grab your notebook and pen because you never know when you will be inspired to write down a quote, or jot down a poem of your own. Words are like that, they take you on a journey and the next thing you know you are breathing life into your own magical world of words.

Sunday, March 4, 2012

Finish or Quit - Row80 Check In

Riding in the car down to Florida, I had a lot of thinking time. Unfortunately sometimes having too much thinking time can get me into trouble. I began to feel disappointed that my contests weren’t doing better; that there weren’t many submissions.  I also felt that people weren’t quite grasping the Teen aspect of the theme. I kept thinking that maybe I should just stick with my writing and not continue to create ways to inspire other writers. 

This morning I woke up and read a story that was submitted late last night for the Teen Fantasy Fiction Writing Contest.  As I read, I began to get excited. Dare I hope… It pulled me in. I devoured each word. The young character felt so alone in his feelings. He felt that no one would ever understand or except him as he was. He felt so different from everyone else. I deeply felt for this character. I didn’t know what was going to happen.  My heart soared as I saw the direction the writer was taking the story. 

I almost quit. I almost decided that it wasn’t worth the disappointment of little interest, until I read this story. This writer stretched their abilities and was inspired by the prompts to write a story that touched the depth of feeling, creativity and imagination that I was hoping I could inspire in another writer.

This writer also helped me to understand that it doesn’t matter if anyone submits another story. What matters is that I finish what I started; not to lose hope. That way when I come to the close of it I can feel good about accomplishing what I started.

I will keep doing what I am doing; I will stay with it day by day and enjoy the process because I do love the process.

Have you started a writing project and through disappointment at how it was turning out, you wanted to quit? Did you quit? How did it feel to quit and/or how did it feel to finish? I think as writers we put too much on what other people think. It really doesn’t matter what they think, what do you think? How do you feel about what you are doing? Do you love it? Do you hate it? Do you enjoy it as you are in the process of it?  

Row80 Check In

I have written in my 750words.com everyday and I have been doing research for Herstory month. I have worked on the contest, submitted to a contest (Why I write) and plan on finding more contests for me to enter as well. I am feeling a little stuck with my own writing and I know I just need to write my way through it as I always do. I am hoping this short vacation to Florida will freshen my mind and get it back on track with my writing. 

That's about it for me, how are you doing this week? Have you taken any new risks? Are you plowing through or feeling like giving up?

I hope you choose to plow.

Peace,
Morgan

If you enjoyed this post please pass it on and share. 


22 comments:

  1. Nice post Morgan. I think it is important to realize that the stories within us also have power to inspire people to be better. More power than we may realize, especially considering we are working on finishing stories and getting them published. The power to write is a gift. What we do with that gift determines our power to touch lives.

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    1. Thanks Jayrod, you are absolutely right, our stories do have the possibility of changing lives. Thank you for stopping by and sharing that.

      Peace,
      Morgan

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  2. Firstly, thanks so much for all your comments on my blogs. I'm positively thrilled. :D X

    Sounds like you've found yourself a winner, unless someone better submits. And the feelings the winner/runners up with get out of this contents will stay with them, encouraging their creativity and writing for a long time afterwards. Its so worth it. \\

    I know how you felt though WordsinSync used to feature a meme for mental health bloggers call Monday Madness (not too imaginative in choosing the nome of this one) :) At first it went okay, but there were weeks when I was getting one or two. Some weeks where no one linked up. I hoped to build a mental health comment of bloggers, to pool our experiences, share our fears and hopes. But it just never turned out like that. I realised that not everyone is as able to express or even admit to having mental illness/vulnerabilities. I ended it a few months ago now. It was a lot of work and I was saddened but I don't blame myself, I did everything I could.

    I know that while it was on connections were made between bloggers who are now friends and can discuss MH issues with each other. I'm glad of that.

    Great to see you're on top of those goals - you're doing to well with your edit too. I wish I had your focus. Bleh! Enjoy the rest of the weekend. X

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    1. Hi Shah, I enjoyed checking out your blog, discovering your interests and especially the Storydam.com I am thrilled to have discovered it and I will always be grateful to you for that.

      Thank you for sharing your experience/journey with Monday Madness. It helps to hear how others have dealt with their disappointment of projects that don't work out for whatever reason.

      As for my focus... maybe someday you and I will have a discussion on my MH issues. :)

      Blessings to you and how courageous, strong, and intelligent you are. May you see all of your gifts, celebrating each and every one of them!

      Peace,
      Morgan

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  3. I suffer from the too much thinking time problem as well - glad to hear you found cause to keep going. Good luck on your contest entry! Be well.

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    1. Thank you Lynnette, I appreciate your support and encouragement!

      Peace,
      Morgan

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  4. Was just about to give up on Emily Swann (my novel) when I had a break through and am now plowing on! Really glad I didn't quit now! So this post really struck a chord with me. Thanks!

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    1. Hi Janet, I'm glad you had a break through and are now in the stream of inspiration for your writing. I love it when I am in the stream!

      Thanks for stopping by.

      Peace,
      Morgan

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  5. Sometimes I've felt almost like giving up, but I've pushed on and never given up on a writing project. The only thing I gave up was because of a family crisis, and that was just a temporary setback.

    I'm glad you found that writer that inspired you to keep on with the contest. I don't write teen fiction myself, but I admire anyone who can. It's difficult to get into the mind of a teen sometimes. :)

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    1. For me connecting into the teen mindset is remembering the feelings of not fitting in, feeling awkward, and feeling like I don't fit into my own skin. I find most people have moments that they feel they are different than everyone else and wish it was easier to connect on a deeper level as they journey to discover more about themselves.

      Thanks for your support and encouragement, it means a lot.

      Peace,
      Morgan

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  6. Oh, Morgan, how I know that feeling of giving up but I visit blogs like yours and am reminded that it just takes one connection, always. So often, I soar for days on one comment or on one breakthrough even if many follow. Thanks for such an inspiring post.

    Karen

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    1. Karen... Your comments always make me smile and warm my heart. Thank you for all of your sharing, support and encouragement.

      Peace,
      Morgan

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  7. All week long this week, I have thought I ought to quit. My ideas aren't solid and I keep thinking, "Who in the world do I think I am trying to write a novel."

    I'm pressing on. Thanks for the update and encouragemnt.

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    1. Hi Ali, I understand the voices that persist in telling us that we have no business writing. I recently read somewhere (my mind is going) that talked about creating another voice to counter that one. Not to argue just make a simple positive statement that is affirming. For me it is a kind and wise voice that says, You are beautiful, keep writing.

      My Favorite quote from Elizabeth Gilbert about when she was writing, Eat Pray Love:

      “As for discipline – it’s important, but sort of over-rated. The more important virtue for a writer, I believe, is self-forgiveness. Because your writing will always disappoint you. Your laziness will always disappoint you. You will make vows: “I’m going to write for an hour every day,” and then you won’t do it. You will think: “I suck, I’m such a failure. I’m washed-up.” Continuing to write after that heartache of disappointment doesn’t take only discipline, but also self-forgiveness (which comes from a place of kind and encouraging and motherly love). The other thing to realize is that all writers think they suck. When I was writing “Eat, Pray, Love”, I had just as a strong a mantra of THIS SUCKS ringing through my head as anyone does when they write anything. But I had a clarion moment of truth during the process of that book. One day, when I was agonizing over how utterly bad my writing felt, I realized: “That’s actually not my problem.” The point I realized was this – I never promised the universe that I would write brilliantly; I only promised the universe that I would write. So I put my head down and sweated through it, as per my vows.”

      Can you imagine if she listened to that negative voice, millions would have missed out on reading her wonderful book!

      I hope you keep writing!

      Peace,
      Morgan

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  8. Um, yes. In fact, I gave up on my first book after a rather LARGE data loss (30,000 words). I was devastated, but I eventually picked it back up and finished it. It made me a better writer and started me on the journey I'm on today.

    Congrats on working past your own personal demons! Keep up the good work!

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    1. Wow, that would have been devastating to lose so much work! I am glad you picked it back up again and were able to move on from that.

      Thank you so much for sharing, supporting and encouraging; It means a great deal.

      Peace,
      Morgan

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  9. I feel the 'giving up' feeling so much (especially at the moment.) I have good and bad feelings about my WIP. Sometimes I love it and then I look at other published works and think that it's a stupid idea and can never be as good and feel like giving up (which I've not...yet.)
    Thank you for this post. It made me feel less alone for feeling that way.
    Good luck with your goals for this week. xx

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    1. Hi Laura, I am glad that my words touched that place within you that told you, you are not alone. Every writer has their inner demons/critic that the best way to defeat them is to ignore them. Comparing your work to others is a disservice to your inner creative self; none of us are the same and each writer has their own story to tell. Read the comment above that I left for Ali Dent, it gives an example of dealing with the inner critic. If you love writing, keep writing. It is important that we don't give up.

      Blessings to you on your journey.

      Peace,
      Morgan

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  10. Congrats on keeping up with your 750 words every day! Woot-Woot! Enjoy the Florida trip and stick with the writing. You'll definitely push through and be happy with where you end up. Best wishes!

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    1. Thank you Julie for your words of encouragement and support! Special thanks for the congrats because it really meant a lot to me that I have showed up every day to do my 750+.

      Peace,
      Morgan

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  11. I've definitely had the urge to quit a writing project plenty of times; in fact, part of me was thinking about how I haven't been submitting anything for you contest, so I might as well just quit that! But I kept reminding myself that you never know what will happen if you don't try, so I'll continue to keep trying, even if, like the last week or so, the stories don't really go anywhere...right now. Who knows? I might not have been able to finish them for the contest, but maybe one day, they could develop into something so much more later.

    How awesome that the story came through and inspired you to push on! And now it's going to inspire me to do the same. Keep up the good work, keep up the plow, and, again, always, thank you for inspiring others like me to keep going, too!

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  12. Hi Laura, Nice to see you again! Keep pushing through with your stories you never know when it will finally break free. I am having a hard time right now with a prompt for StoryDam.com It is Enough is Enough. I have been tossing it around and tossing it around and I have so much resistance I can't hardly stand it. So I have finally decided to write about the resistance. It is better than not writing at all. :D Keep writing because you are a writer! I hope to read another of your stories soon!

    Thanks for your words of encouragement, every little bit helps at this point!

    Peace,
    Morgan

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Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

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