Writer's Christmas List

I saw this comic over on Behler Blog. 






















I thought it pretty much covered everything though I might add a baby sitter a couple hours a week for some writing time. 

What would you add to the list?

Investments

I’ve been reading this book, How Will You Measure Your Life?  by Clayton M Christensen.  It’s a fabulous little book so far and I highly recommend it to anyone.  (Kindle version is only 3.79 last time I checked) He teaches at Harvard business school so this book does have to do with business but mostly the book is about, you guessed it, life.  In one of the chapters he discusses investing in your future.   He says you don’t plant a sapling when you need shade, you plant it several years before you need the shade.  He quotes some studies that show how talking to your child the first two or so years of their life will do more to determine that child’s intelligence, schooling, career, and success than the parent’s education or situation in life.   He says that to do the best for your child you have to invest in that child before you even realize it’s helpful or that the child understands you. 

It’s the same way with writing.  We invest months and years into writing novels that may or may not ever be published.  At this point we don’t get recognition or recompense. Many people I know don’t really think of my writing as a career.  I’m not getting paid, I don’t have anything published. It’s just a hobby, something I do on the side, right? 

Wrong.

I’m investing in my writing career.

If I wait until I have an agent or an editor to worry about that pesky grammar or writing craft I’ll never improve. If I wait for the perfect sale-able idea, the great American novel, and assume I'll be able to create fascinating dialogue and riveting characters it will never get written.  Most likely I’ll never get to the point of having an agent or editor.  I have to learn these things now so I can develop and deliver a quality product. It gets very discouraging to work so long and so hard with no promise of a reward, but the investment will pay off eventually, even if it’s not how you think. 

My poor novel might currently look like an ugly fledgling, but as I invest time in it, it will grow feathers, spread its wings, and we will soar to places I’d never dreamed of. 

And while the wait often seems long and hard, I’ve got to plant that sapling now if I want shade in a few years. 

And you are....?

It's a blog fest!  Hosted by Emily and Tammy.  You can follow those links to a list of all the participants or to join in the fun yourself.

1. How many speeding tickets have you gotten?

Depends, does it count as a speeding ticket if you go to traffic school and get it waived?  That’s happened twice.  The best time though, was when I was singing Phineas and Ferb songs with my son and went a little fast on the way to church on a Wednesday night.  The police officer saw me just before I got there and the flashing lights followed me right into the parking lot. 

Which was full, as everyone else was also arriving for activities. 

Including all the young women I was in charge of. 

He took pity on me and only gave me a warning.  Still, something like that is hard to live down. 

2. Can you pitch a tent?

Absolutely!  We used to have contests and time ourselves to see who could go faster. Yea, we’re cool like that. 

3. What was your worst vacation ever?

I can’t say.  Honestly my parents had a gift for taking any situation, accepting it and making the best of it so all our vacations were just opportunities for flexibility.  

I was dreadfully sick on my honeymoon though.  I caught a nasty cold two days before the wedding, lost my voice at the reception and was so dizzy I couldn’t stand up for a day or two on the honeymoon. 

4. What was the last thing you bought over $100?

Diapers at Target????  We just bought a treadmill for Christmas.  Shhhh, don’t tell, it’s supposed to be a surprise.

5. We're handing you the keys to what?

An apartment I can have all to myself.  I can write in undisturbed silence and no one will make any demands on me.  (I really do love my family, I just dream of a little alone time every now and again)

6. What was the last meal cooked that made even you sick?

 I’m not sure.  Usually it’s when I buy prepared ingredients and it’s too salty.  We don’t really like salt and try to get most of our stuff low-sodium.

7. Fill in the blank: Oh my gosh! Becky, look at her butt! It is so big. She looks like _____?

I can’t.  I would never say something like that.

8. What was your first car?

1992 Honda Accord.  It was hubby’s when we got married.  I often tease him that I married him for his car and his great taste in women. 

9. Your best friend falls and gets hurt. Do you ask if he/she's okay or laugh first?

Ask if she’s OK.  I fall over so often it has lost any humorous appeal it might once have had. 

10. What's the worst song ever?

Anything a child will listen to a billion times in a row then wonder why you’re a little snappy.