Inventing: the Artist and the Art

To succeed as writers, we need more than access to a  good dictionary or thesaurus.  To paint with words, we need imagination and inspiration.  To create, we need energy and enthusiasm.

And, like all inventors, we need purpose, passion, patience, and persistence:

Purpose ~ why do you write?  What do you hope to create  with your words?  Do you want to educate, entertain, share what you’ve learned about the world, or earn enough money to quit your day job?

What do you want to write about:  Travel, Food, Animal Rights, Science Fiction, Creativity, Happiness, Relationships?

How will you define success?  How will you get from “here” to “there” ~ from where you are to where you want to be?

What’s the plan?

Passion ~ are you really a writer?  Many people like the idea of being a writer, but far fewer really enjoy writing and the solitude it requires.  They are intrigued with the idea of getting paid to put pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard, but they lack passion for the journey.

To achieve “success in uncommon measure” requires passion.  Writing needs to be our raison d’etre.  We have to enjoy the journey, not just slog along.

Olympic medalists do not get invited to stand on the podium because they liked the idea of being world class athletes.

Writers rarely land on the NY Times Bestseller List because they liked the idea of becoming bestselling authors.

Between the wish and the thing, life lies waiting.

Patience ~ are you ready to invent yourself?  We need to be patient as we learn the craft of writing.  We need to first create the artist, and then  create the art:

You are your own raw material.  When you know what you consist of and what you want to make of it, then you can invent yourself. ~ Warren G. Bennis

Writing takes practice and patience.  We need patience as we allow our words to unfold into stories, articles, and essays.  We need patience as our novels  incubate and sit quietly before we can edit them with a reader’s eye.  We need patience while waiting for  responses to queries and submissions.  We need  patience, even after acceptance, as we wait to see our words appear in print, and for our first royalty checks to arrive.

Except for newspapers and on-line publications, the written word rarely moves at the speed of light.

Short on patience?  Don’t sit idly on your hands while waiting . . . get started on your next project.  Always be writing.     

Persistence ~ can you handle rejection?  Chances are good that the first article/ short story/ novel you write will be rejected.  You may have to endure a string of rejections before receiving your first acceptance.  Do you have what it takes to keep going after the sting of rejection?  Can you pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again?

Persistence is the key to success.  Edison did not invent the light bulb on his first attempt.  Or his second, third, or fourth.  He succeeded because he  persisted with his “bright idea” until the light bulb, literally, lit up.

Same with the Wright Brothers as they attempted to take flight from the dunes at Kitty Hawk.  Wilbur and Orville “crashed and burned” more than a few times before their idea “took off.”

Rejection is not fatal, and you cannot fail . . . until you stop trying.

If your purpose is to write, if your passion is to be  the inventor of tales, if you have the patience to invent both the artist and the art, if you persist in your efforts to take one step at a time in the direction of your dreams, if you keep writing, you will succeed.

When we wake up each morning determined to enjoy what we do, we win.  No matter what happens, we win.

Quotes to Ponder: 

* Inventing is a combination of brains and materials. The more brains you use, the less material you need. ~ Charles Kettering

* The difference between being able to understand something and inventing it in the first place . . . is called genius. ~ Craig Bruce

* The human mind is inspired enough when it comes to inventing horrors; it is when it tries to invent a Heaven that it shows itself cloddish. ~ Evelyn Waugh

No Rules.  Just Write!

Submitted in response to Sidey’s Weekend Theme ~ INVENTION

Related posts:  Cooks Cook.  Dancers Dance.  Writers Write. * Life . . . A Journey, Not A Destination * Our Field Of Dreams * Our Internal Compass *  The Thrill of Victory & The Agony of Defeat * What to do When a Publisher Rejects Your Novel (Global Mysteries) * Fun with Numbers: Publication Odds * Stop Mocking Me! * Stay Focused on the Journey * Featured Artist: Leslee Hare ( Mirth and Motivation) * Interview: Nazia Mallick (My Literary Quest)