One week ago Sunday I celebrated my 12th wedding anniversary. Sometimes I find it incredible that I have a wife and four children. I was single for so long much of my life it can seem like a fairy tale, having relocated from a solo journey to one joined by a complementary partner filling in the white space of my life. Relationships color our lives and help make us the people we can or should be.
Anniversaries, births, graduations, job changes. These are all milestones we experience in our lives. As writers, just as in our regular lives, we need to make a point to celebrate milestones. These can vary from what we see as mundane to the thrilling. For me, the mundane would qualify as keeping a writing log of words written each day. This led to me ultimately completing my first novel, and nearly a second, and permanently forming the habit of writing daily. The thrilling might be landing an agent or selling your first book. I’m still waiting for that type of excitement but that’s what goals are for, right?
The point is writers should not underestimate how vital recognizing milestones is to their life. No matter how small you think they are, you deserve to take the time to celebrate and make a big deal of it. Writing is solitary enough without bypassing a small celebration. It can be a long road to publication and a writing career is no different from other parts of your life which require practice, determination and perseverance. Take the time to mark the small and great successes along the way.
Good point, Kirk.
ReplyDelete