I had a dream.
Ever since I was a little girl I have dreamed that one day I would hold a book with my name on the cover, I’d flip the pages, smell the fresh ink and read the words I’d pulled from my own imagination, I’d be able to walk into a bookstore and find my book on the shelf.
Dreams don't have to die. They can change.
That dream is changing and while I was initially resistant to considering change, I’m learning (perhaps slower than is healthy) that sometimes it pays to be adaptable.
Last Sunday I was set to run a ½ marathon with my training partner. (Trust me, this analogy does relate to writing) We’d been training hard through the nasty cold winter months without any real break. We’d ran multiple races in less than ideal conditions and we’d been losing the enjoyment that we used to get from running. So for this particular race, we had a plan. We were going to enjoy every second, take photos along the way, not worry about our time and generally have an awesome time. I looked forward to Sunday with anticipation.
It was going to be great. And then…it wasn’t.
At 5 am Sunday morning, I got the message. My training buddy was bed ridden and unable to run. My plan was gone. I could have hung onto the original plan and attempted to execute it with what would likely have been met with limited success (I can’t have that kind of fun without her).
Instead…I adapted. I went into the race with a new plan. I was going to post a new personal best.Result? I crushed my previous time by 26 minutes and posted a personal best that I am very proud of.
So how does this nice little running story relate to writing you ask? Simple.
Remember my dream of holding that book with my name on it? Well, lately that dream has been shifting and morphing into something new.
I’ve been doing a lot of thinking, reading and research lately on e-publishing and, while this was not my original goal I’m strongly considering going this route. It’s no secret that the major booksellers are suffering, it’s getting harder and harder to land that agent and then even harder to sell to a publisher if you’re an unknown. Even if you have an excellent manuscript, your chances of success narrow everyday.I’m not trying to be pessimistic, and I do believe that the demand for print books will never go away, but the reality is that the face of publishing is changing and maybe my dreams should too.
I’m learning (slowly) that it’s okay to shift and modify your dreams. And sometimes, like with my run on Sunday, a change of plans can lead to the best result and ultimate success.
So, I want to know, in these changing times, have you modified your dreams?
Photo courtesy of Brittany ((halo)) cc Flikr
Leanne Shirtliffe (Ironic Mom)
Elena Aitken
Trish Loye Elliott
Interesting question. I recently wrote a post about where my life will be in 10 years (you can find the link to it here: http://sportsjim81.wordpress.com/2011/05/27/its-a-stay-in-your-pajamas-kind-of-day/)
Anyway, when I was thinking about the post, the idea of dreams changing and adapting came into play. I mean 10 years ago, I had several dreams that have not come to fruition, but instead, have morphed into new dreams. For example, I dreamt of becoming a professional golfer when I was 19. Today, I still play the game, and think one day I’ll try to qualify for a tournament, but my new dream is to teach my kids the game of golf that I love so much. So my point is, a changing dream should be something to embrace, like you did with the race. Don’t look at it as a failure or a disappointment, but rather a chance to start over and begin anew.
I too have a dream of holding a book with my name on the cover someday. I hope to reach that dream, but am prepared to adapt as the changing tides dictate.
That’s an interesting idea, reflecting back ten years… It’s true, my dreams have shifted so much in the last decade and they’re likely to do that again. I like your idea of embracing a ‘changing dream’ And hey, who says we can’t hold that e-reader with our name on the screen and click the pages?!
thanks for the comment.
I think my publishing dreams have changed the last two years, sometimes a little at a time, sometimes suddenly. Much of it has to do with the very quickly changing landscape of the industry.
Of course, I have always had a proclivity to ‘do-it-yourself’ so I guess my thoughts of taking advantage of self-publishing options only became more viable with e-books than revolutionary for me.
You’re right. For me, self publishing has definitly become more viable with e-books. Still, I think it’s a decision not to be taken lightly. It is nice to have options now and a bit of control (I may have a few control issues…just a few)
My fifth grade slam book clearly states that I wanted to be a writer when I grow up. I’ve flipped through it several times and there are no further statements on what kind of writer I wanted to be. (Stupid fifth grader…you were supposed to map that out!)
I think, like you, I had visions of holding a copy of ME at a big bookstore. And that would still be lovely. But in the ever changing world of information, I know that I can be happy to write words and know that people are reading and enjoying them in any form.
Happiness is about adjusting sometimes.
I love it! If we could just go back and tell our elementary school selves to map things out a bit better that would be brilliant!
I must agree with you, times are changing so quickly in the publishing world, we have to adapt and at the end of the day, I write to entertain people. And I can’t do that if my book sits indefinitely on my hard drive. Sometimes, happiness IS about adjusting…
thanks for the comment.
Elena, congrats on your run-time. Twenty-six minutes is a huge performance shift . Likewise, the second book you wrote was better than the first by another measurable margin. Each book afterward will be even better. This, I’m sure you know. However, what I’m getting at is; newbie or known standard, good is good and I think you’re practicing to become great. You see, dreams shift as do goals. But sometimes, our efforts outgrow what we started out believing was the standard. I’m just saying that you will someday surpass that shifting dream, and it’ll probably have a lot to do with just how good you are and will further become. By the way, your personal best is better than most, isn’t it?
A.T.
Thank you for your comment!
The more I thought about it, the more I realized that my journey with running has been a lot like writing. You must constantly push yourself to be better and grow. And yes, then your dreams and goals will surpass what you ever thought possible, just as they did with my race on Sunday.
And my personal best??? I don’t know about others but for me…it’s pretty damn good!
I’m going to put your comment in my ‘pick me up’ file.
Thanks!
I think that the running analogy is a great one – and I am super proud of you for not crawling back into the comfort of a warm bed. What you would have missed if you had! Powerful stuff, eh?
You sound happy in this post. Excited. Charged up and determined. This is good. Keep going, Mama. One foot in front of the other!!
Thanks!
You know what…after I wrote this post yesterday, I was excited and recharged. I’ve had a few crazy weeks and not nearly enough time for my writing, except to read a rejection letter here and there. But this does have me charged up again. I think it’s very empowering to change your goals and accept that dreams can change and that’s okay!
And thank you…it was VERY hard for me not to crawl back into bed. Although I missed my buddy A LOT, I’m so glad I got out there and did the race. Powerful stuff, indeed.
I love this post … we have to be resilient right now so our dreams can continue!
Thanks, Shawn.
We’re absolutely in the middle of some major changes in publishing. I think you’re right, the resilient will succeed.
And…we have to keep dreaming.
Congrats on your time! Way to go! And it makes a terrific analogy, for sure. Personally, my writing dreams/goals haven’t changed much (yet), but I hope that if the time comes when they really should change, I’ll remember this lesson — that being willing to adapt can bring success and lead us to wonderful places.
Thanks for this, Elena!
Thanks, Shari.
It’s funny, I’ve been very resistant to the e-publishing thing, but…lately I am finding myself excited about it. Whatever your dreams are, and if they change or not, keep at it. Determination will help us succeed.
I’ve had the “my name on a book on a bookstore shelf” dream for as long as I can remember. But, I’ve slowly come to realize that my heart wouldn’t be entirely broken (severely bruised and beaten, but not broken) if that dream were never realized. I really like editing and the back-and-forth between other writers that editing provides. I also love my blog and the community associated with it and the instant gratification factor. So, if I can’t be a published author, I’ll just settle for being famous.
I could handle being famous. So yes, a great thing to ‘settle’ for.
There are so many options right now with writing, it’s just a matter of what makes us happy and fulfills us.
And I agree…my heart may be slightly battered and bruised…but never broken.
Thanks for commenting.
Twenty six minutes is a HUGE improvement! Congrats on this accomplishment! I love to hear how you went out there and redefined your goal and had great success. This illustrates how if we really want to accomplish our dreams or goals that there may not always be someone physically beside us each step of the way but this doesn’t have the power to impact how successful we can be. Sometimes the best thing we can do is just go out and do things on our own like you did.
Your story is also a great example of how being flexible with our dreams and goals is perhaps the best favor we can do for ourselves. Life happens and many times our dreams may be put on hold for awhile or maybe they might transform into something even better they we imagined if we allow the idea to marinate in our minds.
I have always had this dream since I was a small child that I wanted to help people but I didn’t have an exact idea. Some years after my mom died when I was 19 the idea came to me but I had some rocky bumps along the way putting the idea into action. In college I developed a program to transform the lives of fellow young people and the idea that it would be the first in a series of events but the series never came and it was just the one event.
Since that time I have had more life defining moments that have created more focus on what it is I really want to do and now the dream has been refined to empowering women find their own path in life. For me this means that I am in the midst of a career transition from Corporate America to life coach/energy healer/personal trainer. I now am getting some new certifications and putting together a plan to integrate everything I have learned over the years. This isn’t how I imagined things would be but I am extremely excited about this new direction and am following my intuition to see where it takes me.
Every twist, every turn, every seemingly delay was no accident as it brought me down the path I am today. What I once thought were detours on my journey, I see now were opportunities for me to gain clarity into who I really am and what I am supposed to do. The key is that if your dream is important enough you will find a way to accomplish it but you have to be prepared for a journey that may not be as well mapped out as you would like.
Thanks, Emily and congrats on your career change. I can sense your excitement and passion coming through!
You’re so right, every twist and turn helps us grow and are only opportunities for us to get stronger and help us accomplish our goals.
Thanks for the comment.
I think I have decided to change the way I blog. I got all excited about social media and then realized I am really bad at it. I think I will try again a bit later. And I’ll start running then too.
I love the story.
I love how you tied in the 1/2 marathon.
I love your writing, and can’t wait to read you online or in print someday.
My childhood dream was acting. It conflicted with my other dreams (and I lacked the “look”, the connections, and the talent), but writing and reading have always been a part of my life.
I recently found the first story I ever wrote, at age 8: http://writingwithchaos.wordpress.com/2011/06/01/the-first-story-i-ever-wrote-lost-love/
It is still the best medium for me to express myself in.
I’d say more, but my children aren’t being cooperative…
Elena,
I am late to comment on this post but wanted to let you know I have come to some of the same conclusions you have regarding self-publishing. I also write women’s fiction and I’m currently querying a manuscript that is probably not a good fit for traditional publishing; I just don’t see editors taking a chance on it in today’s market and so far, no agents are requesting material either. I’ve only sent about 15 queries, but I’m starting to wonder if self-pubbing might be a better fit for me. The feedback from my betas has been so positive that I’m not willing to let the MS languish on my hard drive so I am leaning more toward self-publishing every day. I am still a little on the fence (and like you, I am still doing my research), but will probably upload to Amazon and Smashwords this fall. I’m excited when I think of the control I could have over my novels and I like the fact that with self-publishing there is no 12-24 months of waiting before the book is available. I am also really loving my new WIP because I realized that I’m in control of the project and I don’t have to run the premise by anyone first. I can just…write.
Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that I am in the same boat you are. I am by no means bashing traditional publishing, or saying that self-publishing is the only route either. But the landscape is changing, and it’s exciting to be a part of it. I may have come in on the tail end of traditional publishing as we know it, but I might be able to be a part of the cutting edge of ebooks/self-publishing (and the way it will change things in the future). And that is kind of exciting
Tracey
thanks, Tracy!
This is exactly how i feel! It’s like we’re the same person…
For me, this manuscript is having the same experience you just described and I think this summer may be the time to go for it (self e-publish) While I continue to revise and rework another manuscript. Ultimately the goal for me is not to write great books that sit on my hard drive forever. I want readers to enjoy them.
thanks for your comment and keep us tuned on what you decide to do.
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