Taking Back The Pride

 by Margie Senechal

 So, I've been thinking...

I take pride in my work. When I build an endstand, I tend to maintain it--even if it's not in my department as these two Christmas examples aren't. But, I made them and want them to stay "pretty" despite customers hanging shirts from the side or placing a watch and bottle on the shelf.

When I work in an aisle, I like to see the improvement, the signature touches that say "Margie was here".

I am a good merchandiser. I have a good eye and enjoy the piecework of picking pieces from the shelves to create my own little jigsaw puzzle in a four foot area.When we have uppie-ups visiting town, my boss looks to me to improve needy areas. And I revel in that accomplishment.

So, here's my wonderment. Why don't I apply that same pride and care to my writing career. Or at least establishing a writing career? Mmmmm

Instead I use excuses. I'm too tired to write. I have so much to do. There's a new movie out I have to see. Oooh, look at that meme, that would make a cute coaster.

When people learn I'm a writer, I kind of shrug it off. And I've completed eight books. In different genres! I have three YA manuscripts, one adult suspense, two early readers, and two picture books. None of these are published or publishable at this point, but they are done. I have rewritten one of them eight times, throwing away almost an entire novel itself with the scenes I've cut. I've rewritten another one two times.

So, why do I minimize my accomplishments there? Just because I haven't published?

And why don't I "make" time to write everyday? I'm off tomorrow and Saturday, and already I'm pretty booked up. And writing is nowhere on that schedule.

Saturday is almost impossible with commitments, but if I get my errands done today before and after work, I can stay home tomorrow. I can watch and listen to the rain while I get some writing done. So, I'm committing right now to write tomorrow and to stay in the chair for the duration of 2K.

And when I'm done, I will take pride in that accomplishment. I will channel Lani Diane Rich and proclaim, "I am a writer!"

Comments

  1. I will admit this now. I did write when I was working a fulltime job. I did have several books published. I can't begin to describe how difficult it all was. I didn't have to be creative at work, but I definitely had to be fully present and my most productive time of every day was spent on the clock. When I look back, I have to say I don't know how I did it. And, the truth of the matter is, no matter how much you love writing, you owe a whole lot of yourself to the job that's paying you--writing only gets what's left over. Does that make sense? I hope it does, so that you don't beat yourself up because you can't be a fulltime everything.

    I love your endcaps, by the way!

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  2. Great post, Margie. I don't have any sage advice, but i do agree that we have to take pride in our work. Be that a day job or writing or raising a family or ...whatever else fills our day. If we do the things we love with all our hearts, we are successful.

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  3. You know, we all let life get in the way of our dreams as writers--maybe because we feel too responsible to the stuff that others can see, rather than to our own needs and desires. Don't feel bad, but write when you can and remember another famous Lani Diane Rich-ism: "We GET to do this!"

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  4. Great post, Margie... I think we can ALL relate! And Lani Diane Rich does not simply proclaim "I am a writer!" She proclaims (repeat after me) "I am a GREAT writer!" :-)

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    1. I'm surprised Nan didn't call me on that. LOL. I knew I was missing something. And I tried it, saying the words aloud. And it felt good :)

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  5. Atta girl! I suffer the same way you do. I have no remedy or solution, but I do have a writer group who gets together once a month for a whole Saturday (we've all had to make this sacrifice?) and we point the keyboards. Last week I wrote 3,000 words. This past week? 250. Pressure for me is what it takes.

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    1. Em--I think you hit the nail on the head. When I was part of an actual crit group, I wrote more diligently because I had a place to share and because I wanted to be read and critiqued. Now, I have betas, but I have to finish a book in order to utilize them. Maybe I'm all about instant gratification. Mmmmm

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