Hello everyone,

I have been doing a lot of “soul searching” over the past several months. There have been some ups and a lot of downs, but one thing remained constant. My love of writing. Helping people muddle through their sticky parts or working (slowly) on my own work is a joy that I cannot express.

For several months, I allowed the ‘downs’ to distract me. I looked at writing as a chore rather than a part of me. Yes, it is difficult and, many times, frustrating, but it is who we are—that is why we write, whether it be an article, a full-length novel, a one-line quip or just talking about it.

Stories of Success you will never hear about

I have a 70+ elderly neighbor. He is hunched and barely able to walk. Yet, every year, he “trains” for the marathon in Portland. Yep, he enters, hobbles along, and finishes (usually close to, if not dead last). It isn’t for the notoriety, though I am certain his efforts are far more memorable than the winner’s. He runs for the joy of accomplishment.

In the (golfing) movie “Tin Cup,” the main character, Kevin Costner, is on a particularly tough hole, one that has dogged him throughout the movie. To win the national tournament, all he has to do is take the easy route and finish. But he doesn’t. He is determined to conquer his nemesis. So, he tries and tries and tries to get past the one obstacle that has hounded him, each attempt adding another stroke to his score. After about 12+ attempts,  he succeeds. He is satisfied that he overcame, but this goal lost him the tournament win. Then he starts to have second thoughts. He is thinking about what the “fans” wanted, and thinks his effort was stupid. Yet, Rene Russo’s character has a great line. (paraphrased). She’s thrilled and excited about what he achieved. “People may or may not remember the winner, but they will Never Forget what you did today.”

There have been many unknown Tin Cup moments throughout history, and more happen every day. Embrace the joy from the first line to the finish line, and know that sometime, somewhere, someone will enjoy your efforts.

Feel free to copy, print out, and remind yourself every day.

First: The Exponential Emotional Response (Jerry Jenkins)

• If your writing makes you cry, your readers will weep.
• If you like your book, your readers will love it.

Second: (Jane Friedman)

• The best quality books are not the ones that typically sell.
• The most talented writers are not always well known.
• The worthiest information rarely spreads the farthest.
• Or: The cream does not necessarily rise to the top.

Have a great weekend everyone,

Suz

Notice: AI Photo by Midjourney
Prompt: “Food shot, super wide, orange slices falling, waterfall splash, sherbet ice cream liquid explosion, orange, bright color background, surreal style, fresh fruit color, focus on slices, realistic, ultra fine detail, depth of field, high resolution, shot by Canon –ar 3:2 –s 70 –c 15 –w 1 –v 6.0 “