Writing is too hard:(

I shook my head and couldn't believe Jimmy McMillan and his party of "The Rent is too d*** high".  It caused a lot of pundits to smile and even a few to agree that the rent is too d*** high. 

Since then (although I don't use those words) a couple of times I've sat at my desk and thought.  "Writing is too hard".  It is you know.  It is very hard. 

It's frustrating when I have a brilliant idea and can't hang on to the right words long enough to grab that pen and paper. 

It's hard when I have to read some passage from The Chicago Manual of Style five times because I just don't understand (and maybe don't want to understand).

It's gut wrenching to read that rejection e-mail and wonder if you will ever get that piece published.

WRITING IS HARD

But...on the other hand....writing is a calling that I just can't abandon. 

So today....I'm at my desk - once again.  Praying for inspiration - once again.  Refusing to clean the den until I write 1,000 words - once again.  Hearing my mother call and begging her not to interrupt the process - once again.  Feeling guilty about all the things that need to be done and yet here I sit - uninspired - once again.  Holding on to the promise that if I force myself to continue the process and to push through all this, I'll finally be published - once again.

I think it's that last once again that keeps us all pushing and writing.  For comfort I read a quick passage from Jim Denny's book, Quit your day job!

I have actually met a surprising number of unpublished writers who are probably a good deal more talented than I am - but they'll never get published.  When I've asked them about their disciplines and habits, they've told me they have none.  They write only when "inspired."  When I've suggested that they need a daily writing routine, they adamantly resist my advice.  They have their idealized image of "the writing life" and they don't want the realities of hard work, focus, discipline, and persistence to mess that up.

Writing is a job - a tough and demanding job.  You can't succeed as a writer until you understand and accept that fact.

Thanks Jim...I needed that! 

God loves you and has called you to write,

Debbie