I had fallen into a little slump shortly after finishing the draft of In the Shadow of Thy Wings. After prayer and a season of regrouping, I walked away feeling refreshed. I want to share this encouragement with you. I’ve come to notice some similarities between editing a novel and overcoming bad habits. Everything I’m about to share can relate to either group so I hope you’ll find something that will encourage you where ever you are today.
Finding Common Ground:
There is some excellent advice floating around for authors that are writing their first draft. — My nonwriting friends shouldn’t hang up on me just yet. I promise you’ll see the connection in just a moment. — The idea is to just write the first draft. Don’t fret over mistakes. Don’t focus on getting every sentence perfect. Just write. There is a connection with the idea of “write whatever, just finish the 1st draft and worry about it later” and life’s policy of doing what seems easier for you now and worrying about the consequences later.
But what happens when “tomorrow” finally gets here? When you can no longer push off the mistakes you made? When yesterday’s easy going becomes today’s terrible habit? How do you fix it then? What if things don’t correct as effortlessly as you had imagined? Is it time to give up? Time to trash it and start over? How do you persevere? And why should you?
Now, I’m not saying this writing advice is wrong. It certainly was helpful in getting the draft here, but now that it’s here, I’m tired of scribbling “Rewrite” on the edge of my paper. The ending seems further away than ever. Now what do I do?
Persevere:
Persevere in its simplest form means to “hang in there.” It’s never easy, but it’s always worth it. Don’t stop trying to walk away from your bad habit. Don’t give up on your crappy draft. Don’t give up on your health plan. Or your marriage. Or yourself. Below are several warm and fuzzy thoughts to help you stick to the tough road. I own none of these quotes. Take what you need. 🙂
Christian Author: A.M. Heath 