You Make It Look Easy!
Last night I was watching Dancing With The Stars, and one of the dancer/stars, Nicole Scherzinger, said something that really struck a chord with me. She said something to the effect of, "For the people who say I make this look easy, know that it's not, and I work so hard for this."
Okay, not her exact words, but they went something like that. And the thing is, she DOES make it look easy. She's so damned good that she looks like professional dancer, even though she's not.
Often, I read books that make me think the same thing...she makes writing look so easy, so effortless! And I feel a little sting of jealousy. Why? Because I swear, I bleed out every single word I write.
And then, funnily enough, people tell me that I make it look easy. *g*
Now, I really wonder where all the authors are who DO have it easy. Sure, I think everyone has one book that "wrote itself." I have one -- Unleashing The Storm, written with my Sydney Croft partner, Stephanie Tyler. That book really WAS easy. Doesn't mean we wrote it, sent it in, and didn't have revisions, because we did. I still struggled to make the book decent. But the story itself and the characters just all meshed for us.
But no other book has come that easily for me. In fact, every book is getting harder and harder to write. I think I get less knowledgeable with each book.
So what about you? Do you have talents that just come "easily" to you? Me, I'm terrible at all sports, baking, math, foreign languages...there's actually very little that just comes easily to me. I was a good student in school, but I worked for every A. Even in P.E. How sad is that...
*
Image courtesy of ABC
Very funny! I agree with you though it seems like everyone's creations look easy except ours. There are things that come easy to me - like ideas but I could work on an idea forever and that's a detriment. Cooking is something that I enjoy so I don't find it a tough chore - although baking is challenging - it's a mix of chemistry and artistry. ;) But I'm sure there are loads of people out there who look at you and think - how does she do it? ;)
ReplyDeleteYou sound like me. :)
ReplyDeleteI lose interest in something if it doesn't come easily. Writing is the only hard thing I've stuck with, even though along about now, I'd love to give it up. I just can't - I need to write now that it's a part of me.
It's all that work that gives the illusion to others. But I never want my writing to come easy, or reach any sort of plateau. I might become bored, then, or worse - bland, which would translate to bored readers.
ReplyDeleteKeep up the good work!
Wow, it's comforting to know that even published authors feel this way! I've only been working on 3 manuscripts at home and I was getting worried that they weren't coming EASIER over time! Ack! But I've written nonfiction for 20 years, and I know THAT doesn't get easier -- mostly because I put the same pressure on myself to do my very best. So maybe it's a perfectionist thing?
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Larissa, especially after the writer's workshop we just had last week at my writer's group. Julianne MacLean, who has 16 books under her belt, just shared her revision methods and how her latest novel was the hardest one ever. I think once a person realizes nothing ever comes easy that is worthwhile, that's when your best work starts showing up.
ReplyDeleteI like the challenge of having to work hard at something. It makes it more fulfilling once you conquer it. One thing that does come easy to me is humour. It's a bit of a family trait, so I can't take a whole lot of credit for it. All three kids in my family inherited a dry wit and penchant for sarcasm, an odd goofiness that plays well to physical comedy and good timing.
ReplyDelete