I like the idea of a lot of things.
For example:
Gardening. I see people gardening and eating home-grown vegetables, and I think, I want to garden.
Cooking. I run into these people who cook organic, healthy meals for their family every night, and I think, I want to go organic and learn how to cook.
Big family. I see big families. Those mothers with a passel of kids (Hi, Jody!), two hugging their legs, another starting high school, yet another graduating, and I think, I want a big family.
Scrapbooking. I see friends who catalog every moment with their children and put all the memories into a scrapbook, and I think, I want to scrapbook.
These are things I see and think, “Yeah, I’d like to do that.”
But the idea of doing them versus the reality of doing them exists on different planets. Sure, I may want a garden, but am I really willing to sacrifice the hours spent bent over dirt, digging, planting, and watering? I may love the image of my family around the dinner table eating a home-cooked meal, but am I willing to spend the extra time in the kitchen, putting together dinners while my kid is begging for attention and I’m tired from working all day? I may like the idea of a big family, but wow, am I willing to sacrifice all that sleep, all that me-time, all that sanity?
Reality is hardly ever as glorious as the idea. Ideas are easy. Reality is hard. Ideas are pretty and pleasing. Reality can be ugly and frustrating.
A lot of people like the idea of writing a book. But not many people sit their butt in front of the computer each morning when they’re feeling tired and insecure and type word after word for 300 plus pages.
A lot of people like the idea of getting an agent and finding a publisher. But not many people care to withstand the mind-numbingly long waits, the rejection, the doubt, the naysayers.
The thing of it is, reality takes commitment. It takes stamina. It takes a passion that is alive and pulsing. Because without the passion, the commitment and stamina won’t last. I might dig up a patch of land in my backyard, even plant some seeds, but lose interest when the cucumbers don’t grow like they’re supposed to. I might buy a new recipe book and a spice rack only to watch them collect dust. You see where I’m going. Passion needs to be there.
If you’ve got the passion, it’ll keep you committed when you want to quit. It’ll keep you going when you’re exhausted.
Passion is key.
Passion is mysterious.
Passion is not in our control.
It’s not something we muster up in our own strength. It’s something God gives us, like a gift. It’s that undefinable quality, the yeast in our work, whatever that work may be, that makes it rise.
Questions to Ponder: What passions have made your ideas into realities? Do you have the passion it takes to write? Do you have the passion it takes to write for publication?
Some days I think I do; other days…not so sure. If I didn't know my writing was touching people and making a difference, it would be so discouraging, like shouting into a void. That's what makes writing a lonely job sometimes.
What makes a difference is if you truly believe you have a calling to do something. I love the verse that talks about the "good works we were created in advance to do." Writing is one of mine. I suppose that keeps me going on certain days.
It's taken me a long time to figure this out. With some things, I don't only think I'd like to do them, I can see myself doing them. But the interest soon fizzles. With writing, though, the fire just grows hotter.
What a great reminder. I start writing my novel for my fall classes in two weeks. Passion is gonna be key, I hope I can remember to continually pray for the Lord to provide me with some!! 🙂
I love buying plants and looking at recipes. Keeping the plants alive and actually turning the recipes into something edible are different stories. 🙂
Hi Katie –
You've identified the difference between a dabbler and a writer.
I've interviewed a lot of authors, and passion is the one common denominator. A story burns in their hurts and will consume them if they don't get it on paper.
Blessings,
Susan 🙂
I believe you touched a nerve with this one, dear friend!!
Wish I could bundle all of y'all up and zap you here to our Green Lake Writers track, Putting Passion in Your Writing.
Now wouldn't we have fun discussing it??
Trapped in a room with Julie Lessman and passion, passion, passion…and loving it!!!
I can so relate to your post! There are so many things I want to try and so many things I even begin to do but find I don't have the long-term passion for. But I definitely have a passion for writing–a passion that overshadows a lot of the smaller things I want to do for fun or for a hobby. I'm working on finding that balance and keeping the things I'm most passionate about as a priority.
I could try to find something brilliant to add to this but you've already said it so well. Think I'll just tweet the link instead! Really good post, Katie!
Ha! I love T. Anne's comment, "Plus, you can't return kids." So funny!
This is a great post, Katie, and SO INCREDIBLY TRUE. My friends say my motto is, "I'm over it!" And I would venture to say that it's true for about 90% of the projects I take on: t-ball team mom, making jewelry, exercising on a regular basis (yeah, not proud of that). But that 10%? It's WRITING. Passion, baby!
Such an eloquent post, Katie! Of course, I didn't expect anything different from you. 🙂
Now that I'm home with my kids, we're back to home-cooked meals. Bless my husband's heart…He's happy for the break. 🙂
I am all about the passion.IT should be what drives us and if it is there, we will love what we do. I do!!
I'm glad you have the insight to realize what's possible right now and what isn't. I like to try and see if it works and that usually ends up a big mess 🙂 Plus you can't return kids. 😉
Ideas are easy. Reality is hard.
I like that and I totally agree that you need to figure out if you have the passion to be published because from what I'm seeing, it's a lot of work.
So true…
My problem comes in balancing my passion for writing with the stuff I have to do that I'm not so passionate about.
Ultimately, we have find the path that God wants for us, and it never looks exactly like our neighbors'. For you that may be teaching, raising a small family, and writing. Then again, he might change your focus later. Who knows?
Right now, he has given me the duty of home-schooling my somewhat large family (4 kids). Sometimes I wish that he hadn't, that I could be like other parents and put my kids in school, but I know that this is what God wants me to do. That and writing. He gave me the passion and drive to completely finish a manuscript this summer so I don't have to think about finishing it during the school year.
God has also forced me into healthy eating and home-cooked meals due to multiple food allergies and ill health. I have no choice on that one, no matter what I'd rather be doing. On the other hand, I let go of the burden of gardening, which was something I felt I should do and actually wanted to do. But I can't do it, not right now.
Thank God I've never had the desire to scrapbook!
I found this through Jody Hedlund. VERY well put! I've written pretty much all my life and have never thought of it that way. I've always heard "Everyone wants to write a book but few will do it," but I don't think that's true. Among my generation I've noticed it's more that everyone wants to write a screenplay or direct a movie. There were a TON of aspiring filmmakers in my life but I only met one who actually did it…and he had the passion you described. He devoted his life to it. He might never be a big Hollywood type but he's a full-time documentary filmmaker who does films for fun on the side…he's making a living doing what he loves. We can all only dream of that!
Amen! and yes. and Of course. When the self-doubt voices start talking, they say that I don't have enough passion to finish the job of writing a longer work like a script or a novel. Then, the flames of passion flair up and say, Yes you do. Now, sit down and do it. The characters in my head start talking to me, so I know that they don't go away even when I'm super busy or tired or insecure. That's how I know I'm a real writer.
I also like the idea of gardens and fresh vegs and clean houses, but whatever. I'm not that kind of mom. I'm the one who plays "ImagineIff" with my boys and their friends, watches movies in a messy living room, and teaches them how to make their own grilled cheese.
Thanks for the post, Katie! I totally agree that commitment and perseverence are key ingredients. The fact that perseverence was my top personality strength on a free online questionnaire definitely helped me to write a published novel and its upcoming sequel. If anyone's interested, you can visit http://www.authentichappiness.org and take the "VIA Signature Strengths" test (you have to register but it's free) to identify your top 5 character strengths.
Great post, and very encouraging. I am going to work on my writing today. I think it's the first time in a long time that I've felt the passion for it ignite…though to be honest, I think I needed to go through a valley or two (spiritual attacks) to help me with my novel. Maybe not, but that is certainly what I've been thinking about this morning.
I've said it about writing, but it's equally true about many, many things in life: If it were easy, more people would do it.
Whatever you call it–passion, drive, calling–true writers have something unique in their makeup that's not present in others.
Passion ignites in me every morning until I close my eyes to sleep. Even then, it goes on in my dreamworld.
Words I'm going to be grateful for today: passel and stamina.
Hooray for PASSION!
~ Wendy
Those are great examples of what I'd like and what is reality for me. I always try to do a garden and it is ALWAYS a failure of some type. Time and energy and desire are the biggest hangups I see in my lack of the two meeting. :O)
I used to scrapbook, a little. But it's way more expensive and just as time consuming as writing. 🙂
I have the passion for writing (right now) and what God wants me to do with it is up to him to show me. In other words, I have passion for God's will in my life. And right now, until he makes it obvious I need to be doing something else, writing it is.
This is a great post, and oh-so-true. I am always thinking I would like to do this or I would like to do that… just because someone else did it and was successful. If the passion's not there then, forget about it and go on. Thanks for these great words of wisdom!
So true!
There are so mnay things I "think" about doing or even "want" to do, but don't. Passion is key.
Great post. And your list of things you think would be great? Same as mine: gardening, cooking, big family, scrapbooking. The whole thing. I chose book writing. I'm glad I did. My yard, on the other hand…not so much.
Aw, Hi Katie! 🙂 I'm talking about my big family today on my blog, as a matter of fact!
Your post is SPOT on! I can't tell you how many people have told me they WANT to write a book. But it takes so much more than desire. Passion is incredibly key. Passion lights the fire and gives me motivation. I also need drive and committment to keep me going, when the flame flickers. Kinda like marriage. When the passion fades in and out, we keep working hard at our marriage anyway.
I always considered myself a deadline person. "Give me a deadline," I said, "and I'll do whatever it takes to meet it." Because of this, I figured having deadlines once I got published would be a snap. I'm deadline oriented. No problem.
This year, I've had two months, four months, and two months to get each of the three books due this year written and turned in. If I'd known three years ago that I'd spend the last five days of July writing 61,000 words just to get a manuscript turned in by deadline (including three all-nighters in those five days), I don't know if I would have been so eager to sign those contracts.
But I did it. And I'll get this current manuscript finished by its October 15 deadline. Because this is me. This is what I do. This is what I've been called to do. And you're right, that calling, that passion, must come from God. Otherwise, why put ourselves through the pain and agony of writing on deadlines and editor rejections (yes, even published authors receive these!) and bad/nasty/snarky reviews.
Thanks for the reminder, Katie!