Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Blog Chain: Keep on keepin' on

Laura started the blog chain this round. She asks: What keeps you going (either trying to get an agent or to get published or finish that WIP that's kicking your butt) when you know the odds are stacked way against you?

Last night, my husband and I sat in the entrance of the garage watching the sunset. (Hey, they don't call it Sunset Street for nothin'.)

As the rich scent of fresh-cut grass rose into the air, we shared stories about our day.

I told him about the phony story about the 1,200-pound aligator in a nearby river onto which someone had slapped my byline and sent floating around cyberia via email.

He told me about the request his boss had received the day before. Apparently, someone had stolen the garage door on the truck bay of an abandoned business. The owner of the building wanted the hole boarded up. (Really? What kind of person steals a garage door?)

We laughed together as we recalled the events of Mother's Day, when he -- on a dare -- stuck his head in a room of blue hairs playing Bingo at the local Legion Club and called out, "BINGO!"

We drank big cups of ice water, petted the dog, watched one kid play across the street and waited for the other to come home from a school function.

It was, by mine and my husband's standards, a perfect night.

And that's the problem.

I often become complacent with my life, which I've discovered is a dangerous thing when you still have dreams that are unfulfilled.

More and more, I find myself asking the questions Laura asked, "Why should I put myself through the torture that comes with rejection? Why should I bother putting so much effort into something that might never see the light of day?"

But the answer to those questions always come to me in the hush of twilight, as I teeter on the brink of a dreamless sleep: "Because you love the words."

It's not much, but I guess that's what keeps pulling me back to those lofty goals.

What about you?

Check out what Abby said yesterday. Sandra is up next.

7 comments:

Sandra Ulbrich Almazan said...

It's funny how when things are going well, we don't have the drive to push ourselves out of the comfort zone. But sometimes it's the only way to grow. Enjoy your evenings, but don't forget your dreams!

Unknown said...

That's why we do anything really, isn't it? Love of something or another. I can't think of a better reason!

Eric said...

This is such a wonderful post, Kat. Ironically, it's the post itself that tells me why you continue to write. You're a born storyteller, even when you're just talking about your day. I completely understand what you're saying though about complacency. That's a good point and something to keep in mind as we all go through this journey.

Michelle H. said...

"Loving the words," a simple but powerful message every writer should consider when embarking on this quest to become published. Great post!

Christine Fonseca said...

"Because I love the words" - I absolutely love that! HUGS

Christine Fonseca said...

"I love the words" - you know what...I LOVE your words too!

Shaun Hutchinson said...

Yes. We must keep pushing. Complacency is the enemy.