No, this isn’t a picture of me, but it very well could be on any given day. What you see is the frustrated writer expression. The scariness factor of the expression is largely dependent on what is working and what is not. This one is fairly mild, so it must be a pretty good day.
Remember that movie, A League of Their Own? At one point, the character Tom Hanks plays says, “It’s supposed to be hard. If it wasn’t hard, everyone would do it. The hard is what makes it great.”
There is so much truth in that.
Today, as I am about 20,000 words into The Bond of Seven, (20,000 relatively good words, I might add), I am at the hard part. The really hard part. I want to take this story and file it away in a cabinet so deep that I won’t have to see it again for twenty years. Maybe thirty. I am bored with the characters, disinterested in the plot, and just plain tired of the whole thing. This is where I want to quit. It’s just too hard.
But . . .
I am reminded that it’s supposed to be hard. If it wasn’t hard, everyone would do it. That hard is what makes being a writer great.
I know this.
So I have to get past the yucky attitude and move on. The mid-story stage is always the worst. I’ve been here before. Sometimes I’ve thrown it all aside. And sometimes I’ve pushed through and finished. This is a finisher. It’s a good story. A really good story. There are lives depending on me. I can’t leave them all trapped in the Bleak, waiting for rescue that will never come unless I press on. Right now the Seven are at the mercy of the enemy, and she is a wicked, wicked one.
That’s life. There are always hard parts. And we can’t avoid them. We will always have to do things that are hard – things we think we just can’t do, but we have to plow through nonetheless. But the hard is what makes it great.
Now, back to the hard part.
Inside the Writer 
Thanks for the post, Wendy… I wrote 50,000 words in my youth fantasy novel in November last year – about 14 of the 18-20 chapters of my book, but have done little since then. I totally get what you mean when you wrote: “I am at the hard part… I want to take this story and file it away in a cabinet so deep that I won’t have to see it again for twenty years. Maybe thirty. I am bored with the characters, disinterested in the plot, and just plain tired of the whole thing. This is where I want to quit. It’s just too hard.” I want to get back to this story, but haven’t had the time/motivation/whatever to do so… I’m in the hard part, but I won’t give up!
Blessings to you as you continue on in your story today – I can’t wait to read it!!
Well, I’ve written about 800 words today, which is not bad considering how much I didn’t want to do it. I press on!
I can’t help but think if we give negative energy to our writing, the process is more difficult for us than it needs to be.
Listen, I’m not Pollyanna. I’m suffering through writing my novel, too. But I’m trying my hardest to turn my attitude and my language around. I CAN do this, and it’s not hard, it’s CHALLENGING.
Also, I think we have to remember, as in everything in life, it’s the journey, not the destination. Each of us is exactly where he or she is intended to be–writing a novel (or whatever the case may be) and learning a whole lot about ourselves in the process.
Writing is a metaphor for life. Are we equal to the challenges presented to us? You bet we are.
Well said, my friend.
As a fellow writer with three WIP… I understand.
Please persevere. I’m looking forward to reading your book. =)
Ellen, thanks for your encouragement! It’s good to know there are people out there who “get it”.