One of the best things you can do as a writer is settle in your mind that it won’t be easy. If it turns out to be easier than you think, that’s great, but if it doesn’t, you’ll be armed with the right mindset.
Frankly, I don’t find many people who think writing to produce is easy. It might be fun. It might be rewarding. It might even be profitable. But it’s rarely easy.
Last spring I decided to create a homeschooling blog based on one of my most popular talks. I’d heard a lot about Wordpress.org and decided this was the route I wanted to go since you own your site and your work on Wordpress. Also, it’s more search engine friendly, better for monetizing, and you can do a lot of cool things with a Wordpress blog. Not to mention, I’d heard how easy it was to use once you get past the learning curve.
Well, it might be easy for people who speak computer or pick up on technical things easily, but it has been far from easy for me. I’ve yet to make it past the learning curve! Even with a designer and oodles of help!
I really wish I’d gone into this venture with an accurate picture for someone like me, rather than thinking, “This will be a piece of cake.” I mean I’d been on Blogger for years. How hard or different could Wordpress be?
Months later, I still haven’t gotten that blog ready. If it weren’t for the fact that I paid a lot to have it designed, I’d have chucked it long ago.
It’s on my list of things to complete this year—sooner rather than later. But I’ve armed myself with a new mentality. I’m going into this knowing that I’m still facing a steep learning curve and that every new thing I do will probably have a degree of difficulty and frustration. That doesn’t make me excited, but it is realistic.
That’s the reality of writing. Some things won’t be easy. Even if the writing itself comes easily, other areas—editing, marketing, finding a publisher—might not.
I’m not advocating that we approach writing with a doom and gloom attitude. Quite the contrary. I think we need to approach it as an adventure, something that might take some doing to accomplish.
Most of all, I want us all to throw out the assumption that it will be a piece of cake!
6 comments:
So true Bonita. I try to remember everyone is different, and what is easy to some may not be for me (and visa-versa!)
Childbirth comes to mind. Some woman have natural, and others tell tales of the "horror" of it for years after the birth. Everyone is different.
keep plugging along. Thanks for the great advice today!
This was SO timely for me to read as I'm wrapping up my final edit/overhaul of my first novel, and praying about what avenue to pursue as far as editing, agents and publishing.
Thank you for the encouragement--as usual! <3
Too true. Of course, the really annoying people are those who say they want to write a book and just have to sit down and do it--no sweat. Ugh.
Anyway, you CAN do it! You can master WordPress!! The Reality Homeschooling blog will be totally fabulous once it publishes!!
I know in the end it will be worth all the effort and such a blessing to all those homeschool parents looking for an encouraging and inspiring resource. Keep chipping away, underneath all the learning rubble lies a thing of beauty!
Have a great weekend!
You're so right. "Piece of cake" writing is NOT. Thank you for the practical and encouraging words you share on your blog. They are a great help to those of us who are still struggling to find our voice. Blessings!
A post couldn't be more timely for me. Thank you so much Bonita! I was just thinking of moving to a WP blog today, recommended through a blogging course I'm starting, but was hesitant. The payment is more than I want, but I wasn't sure I could handle the tech part of it either.
Post a Comment