Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Is Miley Cyrus right?
Down to the wire here...the writers conference is this weekend and with it my scheduled pitch with an agent. I'm only telling you this because you know it's my first pitch and no one gets accepted their very first time. (You do know that, right?)
Remember the motto:
HIGH PATIENCE...LOW EXPECTATIONS!
Anyway, major fail in the credibility department before I even sit down to pitch on Saturday because I went shopping for a collar shirt but did not purchase one. My writer friend said she heard collar shirts lend credibility, so I'm sure that's what all the successful authors will be wearing.
Dang it.
On the way home I heard "The Climb" on the radio. It's supposed to be a very motivational song unless you're pitching your novel this weekend and you hear lyrics like "sometimes I'm gonna have to lose" and "ain't about how fast I get there."
What??!!
It's not about what's waitin' on the other side?!
Is it really about the climb???!!!
No.
Please tell me Miley's wrong.
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15 comments:
cute! yeah the whole joy in the journey thing gets old sometimes!
The thing about it, though, that in writing, there's not an end to the journey. You don't get your contract and find that you're done. You always want to do better, to improve on how you've done in the past, to keep growing, to keep moving forward. So yeah, I would say Miley is right. (This is the only time you'll ever hear me say that) It is about the climb, because there is no summit. Even world-famous authors who sell thousands of copies a month work and struggle and fight and improve and progress. And that's how it should be - if we get complacent with where we are, that's when we start to backslide.
Good luck on your pitch! Sometimes you win the lottery, right?
Certainly the end result is what we're aiming for, but I'm sure learning a lot along the way.
Thanks for "relating" Tamara and Karen, and for the voice of reason and experience, Tristi!
Admittedly, i do like that particular song, but it really is about how you finish it off.
I am loathe to say Miley is right. Why would we write if it weren't about 'what's on the other side?' I've got plenty of good stories in my head, but since I enjoy other people's stories, I am vain enough to think someone will enjoy my stories. On the other hand, I had been extremely blessed on this journey by the people I've come to know and love. That's right, I love you guys!
Um, Valerie. Examine yourself! You have already arrived at an initial summit! You have finished your novel. You have polished it to the point where you CAN credibly pitch it. You have not purchased a collared shirt, but who the heck cares? You have credibility because of who you are and what you write. (BTW, Think of all the icky images of tortured male writers in those awful mock turtlenecks. Honestly! I think they think the collarless shirt lends them credibility. *Shudder!* Okay, I think I might just be proving your advisor's point...) Still, let's just place Miley beside the point. She clouds things. She's just plain cloudy. The point is, you're on a summit. Glance down and enjoy that view. Take a deep breath! It's a point many aspire to and never attain. Congratulations. The agents are going to adore your personality, you cool lady. Be yourself!
Thanks you guys. Jennifer, right before my pitch I will be found in the yoga position, breathing deeply, and rereading your comment like a mantra.
"Hmmm...examine yourself, you have already arrived at the initial summit...hmmm...you have finished your novel...hmmm..."
Perfect!
Good luck Valerie! Love this song and I think it's true--but that's totally okay. Sometimes we're climbing and don't realize which mountain we're climbing or maybe we think the summit is in one place, but it's actually much higher. Enjoy the journey, every step will make you better. :)
Best of luck!!!
I agree we learn from the journey but I like to see results from my efforts. You are there. How could anyone not like you and your story. They just need to hear it.
My publishing journey has been rather interesting - but setting getting published aside altogether - life really is all about the climb. I love that song because it reminds me of the one RS lesson I taught when I was in college (right after I taught, they called me to the RS presidency. One thing I learned is that excelling at your calling can get you into more trouble. =) )
Anyway, the lesson was from when we were studying Brigham Young and it talked about progression. I created a diagram made of little hills, progressing up to mountains. Cause really, that's what life is like. We have all these little hills we climb, but really, it's a great big mountain and we're trying to get to the top. Each time we get to the top of a hill, we rejoice and are so excited, but then we see there's another valley and an even bigger hill to climb. Sometimes the next hill doesn't seem big or may even be a nice little one to traverse. But all of those hills keep leading us higher and higher - and each climb is forging us into a better, stronger person.
When we look back on our lives, the things that stand out to us are what we had to work the hardest to obtain - whether that's spiritual knowledge, having a happy home and family, or succeeding in our professional lives. So yeah, I think it all really is about the climb.
I also think it's more about the journey than about the getting there.
Of course. I do think that I'll be like the dog that caught the wheel if/when I get published. Yeah... I have it. Now what do I do?
Good luck!
:-)
And of course, after you find the perfect shirt, you need to post a picture of you wearing it. :)
Looking forward to hearing how the pitching goes ... fingers crossed for you!!
The pitch has past and any enlightened prose I have hasmissed the pre-presentation. I hope it went great.....joy in the journey was a side comment at our State RS meeting today.
Hopefully you had joy in the journey today no matter what you wore and what they said.
We are proud of you.
Judy
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