My very own "Olympic" determination
August 19th 2008 07:16
I get it.
I really do.
When you watch the Olympians stand on that podium and accept the medal, you bear witness to a moment of symbolism.
That little chunk of metal around their necks represents their years of hard work, sweat, discipline, courage, pain and sacrifice all in the pursuit of their passion.
And I get it.
For the last 10 yrs I have sweated, sacrificed and faced all my disciplinary demons in the pursuit of my very own passion. If perhaps I had worked as hard as the Olympians do, it would not have taken me 10 yrs to accomplish my dream.
Ironically as I sit here, tapping away, I still haven't actually quite attained my perfect outcome.
So close.
So very close.
Just over 12 months ago, I completed the final draft of my first novel.
I started it when I was a green writer, a newbie, having never written anything longer than a school assignment.
But writing a novel has been my dream since I was 13yo.
I just never believed before that I could do it.
Then I discovered discipline, power of the mind, sacrifice, the passion of dreams, and the writing course that sent me on my own adventure.
It was a four week (x1 day a week) writing course, and I sat in the room with some of Sydney's known celebrities (well, they were then. One still is, a newsreader.)
Outside of the course, I followed my homework with all the focus of a magnifying glass in the sun... I was unleashing my creative voice and loving every ounce of it.
After 4 weeks I just KNEW that I could go home and write my very own novel.
No idea about story set up. No clue about character development. No notions about dialogue... nothing.
Just a passion.
A strong, burning life long desire to make it happen.
So I set aside 12 months of my life on a typewriter - yes, that is how it was done then and it was a recommended practice because word processing interrupts the creative flow.
Within 12 months, only going out 4 times that year, I had my first manuscript.
Okay, so it has taken me 10 yrs to finally get to the very moment where I can say, "Get me a publisher... an agent... someone to publish my book...!!!"
The thing is, I stuck to it.
I gave up partying. I stopped going out. I didn't watch TV - in fact I gave away my TV so I could have NO interruptions... I wanted it soooo bad.
And though I am a different person to that green 30 writer way back then, I have proven to myself that if I had a strong injury free body, I could be an athlete... I could be Prime Minister. I could walk on the moon.
I could write any novel I want and change the world!!!!
Okay... maybe not.
Thing is, I have learned that through the action and the "doing", I knowwhat it takes to reach the PB of my own making.
The moment I am published, it will only mean a short celebration - one bottle of French champagne, on ice... waiting for that day.
Then there will be more Olympic determination - I have a Detective series in me and I want to put Detective Inspector Laura Power to work...
and I won't say, "If I can do it, you can, too."
The cliche might sound good, but the truth is, so few people actually have the gut-wrenching determination and discipline to strive for ultimate success.
And I am aiming to be one of the few.
Move over, Tara Moss...
and take that bl**dy snake with you.
I really do.
When you watch the Olympians stand on that podium and accept the medal, you bear witness to a moment of symbolism.
That little chunk of metal around their necks represents their years of hard work, sweat, discipline, courage, pain and sacrifice all in the pursuit of their passion.
And I get it.
For the last 10 yrs I have sweated, sacrificed and faced all my disciplinary demons in the pursuit of my very own passion. If perhaps I had worked as hard as the Olympians do, it would not have taken me 10 yrs to accomplish my dream.
Ironically as I sit here, tapping away, I still haven't actually quite attained my perfect outcome.
So very close.
Just over 12 months ago, I completed the final draft of my first novel.
I started it when I was a green writer, a newbie, having never written anything longer than a school assignment.
But writing a novel has been my dream since I was 13yo.
I just never believed before that I could do it.
Then I discovered discipline, power of the mind, sacrifice, the passion of dreams, and the writing course that sent me on my own adventure.
It was a four week (x1 day a week) writing course, and I sat in the room with some of Sydney's known celebrities (well, they were then. One still is, a newsreader.)
Outside of the course, I followed my homework with all the focus of a magnifying glass in the sun... I was unleashing my creative voice and loving every ounce of it.
After 4 weeks I just KNEW that I could go home and write my very own novel.
No idea about story set up. No clue about character development. No notions about dialogue... nothing.
Just a passion.
A strong, burning life long desire to make it happen.
So I set aside 12 months of my life on a typewriter - yes, that is how it was done then and it was a recommended practice because word processing interrupts the creative flow.
Within 12 months, only going out 4 times that year, I had my first manuscript.
Okay, so it has taken me 10 yrs to finally get to the very moment where I can say, "Get me a publisher... an agent... someone to publish my book...!!!"
The thing is, I stuck to it.
I gave up partying. I stopped going out. I didn't watch TV - in fact I gave away my TV so I could have NO interruptions... I wanted it soooo bad.
And though I am a different person to that green 30 writer way back then, I have proven to myself that if I had a strong injury free body, I could be an athlete... I could be Prime Minister. I could walk on the moon.
I could write any novel I want and change the world!!!!
Okay... maybe not.
Thing is, I have learned that through the action and the "doing", I knowwhat it takes to reach the PB of my own making.
The moment I am published, it will only mean a short celebration - one bottle of French champagne, on ice... waiting for that day.
Then there will be more Olympic determination - I have a Detective series in me and I want to put Detective Inspector Laura Power to work...
and I won't say, "If I can do it, you can, too."
The cliche might sound good, but the truth is, so few people actually have the gut-wrenching determination and discipline to strive for ultimate success.
And I am aiming to be one of the few.
Move over, Tara Moss...
and take that bl**dy snake with you.
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