tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136420115688099157.post540252115176000638..comments2024-03-25T17:56:01.825-04:00Comments on Insecure Writer's Support Group: Are Your Dreams Getting in the Way of Your Writing Goals?Alex J. Cavanaughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09770065693345181702noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136420115688099157.post-8876985556165602872014-10-15T12:22:04.390-04:002014-10-15T12:22:04.390-04:00Sittie--Yes, we should probably say we aspire to b...Sittie--Yes, we should probably say we aspire to be "great rewriters" not just writers.<br /><br />Elsie--We all need that fantasy, or we'd probably never finish that first novel. Now you need to jump into the second and not worry too much about publishing or sales. I recommend not publishing until you have two books in the hopper.<br /><br />Joylene--That Jim Carey story can be inspirational, but it can also be destructive. Defining success by a large unrealistic number can make you feel like a failure when you have succeeded at a lot of things.<br /><br />Peggy Ann--I have that dream every time I see one of those "tiny houses" videos. I'd love to have a tiny house that didn't require a lot of maintenance in some gorgeous part of the world. But I realize I'm actually pretty close to that in my scruffy little cottage by the sea. Having quiet neighbors is mostly a matter of luck, not money, and I'm grateful for mine. <br /><br />dolorah--I did see him writing in an episode recently. Still, I dont' know any writers who have that much leisure time. Keep dreaming as long as it keeps you writing.<br /><br />Michelle--You're right! Great writing is great re-writing!<br /><br />JL--Dreams plus goals plus action results in success. But if you skip the second two, not much is going to happen.Anne R. Allenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02420000168356370825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136420115688099157.post-83938122897184933322014-10-13T10:55:41.607-04:002014-10-13T10:55:41.607-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.J.L. Campbellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05666634455836834179noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136420115688099157.post-92061713590193080822014-10-13T10:55:33.405-04:002014-10-13T10:55:33.405-04:00This hit the nail on the head. A lot of dreaming a...This hit the nail on the head. A lot of dreaming and no action equates to a whole lot of nothing on the writing front.J.L. Campbellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05666634455836834179noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136420115688099157.post-47641456051739692252014-10-13T06:16:03.806-04:002014-10-13T06:16:03.806-04:00Loved this line: real genius is learning to rewrit...Loved this line: real genius is learning to rewrite well!<br />Thanks for this thought-provoking post!<br />Michelle Wallacehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02750092836481599870noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136420115688099157.post-53964705670533425892014-10-12T16:00:48.413-04:002014-10-12T16:00:48.413-04:00Castle had a couple episodes that he was actually...Castle had a couple episodes that he was actually writing in.<br /><br />I still have the rich-and-famous dream, and here I am blogging instead of writing . . .dolorahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08715849844092553699noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136420115688099157.post-193559358983015932014-10-12T10:58:23.261-04:002014-10-12T10:58:23.261-04:00I've always (and still do) dream of living as ...I've always (and still do) dream of living as a recluse somewhere remote but breathtaking and unique like in a treehouse designed with heat and plumbing and the forest creatures as my only neighbors and nothing to do but write and read all day long. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01796652110083258296noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136420115688099157.post-61254140309747458092014-10-10T15:31:53.028-04:002014-10-10T15:31:53.028-04:00Great post. And a great reminder. I always love he...Great post. And a great reminder. I always love hearing the story about Jim Carrey writing himself a 10 million dollar cheque, dated it, then eventually being able to cash it. Dreams and goals, I don't know anyone who doesn't have them. Thanks, Anne. Joylene Nowell Butlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04497637513532136615noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136420115688099157.post-8508672580621369022014-10-10T08:34:30.121-04:002014-10-10T08:34:30.121-04:00Hi Anne,
This one hit home with me. Well done. ...Hi Anne,<br /><br />This one hit home with me. Well done. I am guilty of daydreaming about my fame and fortune even though I hadn't finished writing my first novel yet. It seems so out of reach but so much fun to fantasize about. Now, reality has set in. The book is just about done and I'll be happy if I can sell five copies. ;p<br /><br /><a href="http://mockturtlemusings.com" rel="nofollow">Elsie</a><br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136420115688099157.post-22819660547940591072014-10-10T03:09:20.257-04:002014-10-10T03:09:20.257-04:00I agree. It's the process of rewriting that ma...I agree. It's the process of rewriting that makes a story become a special tale for its targeted readers. Great post!SittieCateshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14521819279505376147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136420115688099157.post-70090453042940082412014-10-08T21:53:49.184-04:002014-10-08T21:53:49.184-04:00Susan--So many writers have to wait until retireme...Susan--So many writers have to wait until retirement. It takes so long to start making money in this business.Anne R. Allenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02420000168356370825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136420115688099157.post-35395845441818858082014-10-08T19:30:35.030-04:002014-10-08T19:30:35.030-04:00I dreamed of leaving the day job when my career to...I dreamed of leaving the day job when my career took off. I did leave the day job but only because I put in the years until I could retire.Susan Gourley/Kelleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02669793865290876168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136420115688099157.post-11167624563781537372014-10-08T17:39:37.698-04:002014-10-08T17:39:37.698-04:00Megan--I'm with you on that! I'm sure it w...Megan--I'm with you on that! I'm sure it would be easier to run a bar featuring an all-Ayatollah drag show in the heart of Tehran...<br /><br />olga--Thanks!<br /><br />Kinley--Yeah. Hemingway has a lot to answer for!<br /><br />Fundy--It's hard getting the time to write and it's even harder getting that muse off her butt! But you can do it!Anne R. Allenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02420000168356370825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136420115688099157.post-72406816152161032502014-10-08T17:29:18.776-04:002014-10-08T17:29:18.776-04:00Awesome post, Anne! I've written throughout m...Awesome post, Anne! I've written throughout my life, but I've never had the chance to get serious about writing that book I've been carrying around in my heart until now. Life, the day job, and other goals came first. Now I'm retired and working on my manuscript at least four days a week. It's overwhelming at times (How the heck do you write a book?), but I keep tackling a bite at a time. I'll get there! Thanks for posting this!Fundy Bluehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02132147630106183853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136420115688099157.post-3801379104496535342014-10-08T16:09:44.157-04:002014-10-08T16:09:44.157-04:00This line, "I didn't realize writers don&...This line, "I didn't realize writers don't need adventures. We need imaginations." is what struck me the most. This is so true and something important to remember when I'm bemoaning that I need a trip to get my creative juices flowing!Kinley Danehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02648398736837020249noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136420115688099157.post-83142364990369954772014-10-08T15:19:33.173-04:002014-10-08T15:19:33.173-04:00Great post! Every word rings true. Great post! Every word rings true. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136420115688099157.post-9089383085071972272014-10-08T14:37:36.073-04:002014-10-08T14:37:36.073-04:00Totally agree. If someone had told me how much wor...Totally agree. If someone had told me how much work this profession takes, I would have become something easier, like a rocket scientist!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136420115688099157.post-31007128240577896622014-10-08T14:28:57.697-04:002014-10-08T14:28:57.697-04:00Ruth--I'm with you sniffing the pages. I just ...Ruth--I'm with you sniffing the pages. I just got the proof of the paper version of Ghostwriters in the Sky yesterday--and even though the book has been a bestseller as an ebook, I got such a thrill from seeing it in paper. And yes, I sniffed it! <br /><br />Janie--We all need those dreams. I still worry about what I'll wear when I get nominated for my Academy Award. :-) We just need those goals to keep the dream alive. Anne R. Allenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02420000168356370825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136420115688099157.post-10651752558647830892014-10-08T13:27:43.704-04:002014-10-08T13:27:43.704-04:00I have goals, but I still like to dream . . . drea...I have goals, but I still like to dream . . . dream . . . and dream some more. Like Willy Dunne Wooters will join me in trying to become more fit and healthy, which we'll do while I watch news clips of people standing in line to buy something I wrote.<br /><br />Love,<br />JanieJanie Junebughttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10573607241326291404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136420115688099157.post-54585854851928855952014-10-08T13:13:45.683-04:002014-10-08T13:13:45.683-04:00Suzanne--I think writers are fed such unrealistic ...Suzanne--I think writers are fed such unrealistic stories that we don't always recognize success when we see it.<br /><br />Hilary--Right! Dreams are only doable if we can see all the stepping stones in between.<br /><br />Pat--It sounds funny, but I know an awful lot of aspiring writers who think that way. "I got my first story rejected by the New Yorker, so I'm going to give up writing." So sad.<br /><br />Dean--There's a place for dreams, for sure. Otherwise we wouldn't start climbing the ladder. But we need to know the ladder is long. <br /><br />Paul--Congrats on all your success. You've approached it in the best way possible: with gratitude and realistic goals.<br />Anne R. Allenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02420000168356370825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136420115688099157.post-3902353756959551002014-10-08T13:13:44.292-04:002014-10-08T13:13:44.292-04:00I guess my dream is to fulfil my goal of begin pub...I guess my dream is to fulfil my goal of begin published. The goal involves the putting in the hours, the dream involves sniffing the ink of the printed pages. Thanks Anne, I loved this. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05881893836868283548noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136420115688099157.post-4670253079801467582014-10-08T12:55:30.417-04:002014-10-08T12:55:30.417-04:00Hi, Anne. Great post. I guess my dream and goal ar...Hi, Anne. Great post. I guess my dream and goal are the same: writing the book I'm writing now. No dreams of anything after. I'm happy just to write the book and have my publisher accept it. After that, it's on to the next book, with a little promotion of the last one. Make sense?<br /><br />Loved this line of yours: "Real success comes in baby steps." Yep, that's me. Wawwww! Paul Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136420115688099157.post-3833385475703816382014-10-08T12:37:16.233-04:002014-10-08T12:37:16.233-04:00I guess I got in later in life, and maybe 26 years...I guess I got in later in life, and maybe 26 years of gov't work has tainted the hope of big dreams coming true. Goals, certainly. But I know my current place on the tall ladder of the writing world. It's a climb, a rung at a time. <br /><br />It's fun to dream, and maybe, someday . . .Dean K Millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02585231102949370872noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136420115688099157.post-51112419199635784762014-10-08T12:32:40.504-04:002014-10-08T12:32:40.504-04:00So what? I won't become a trillionaire writing...So what? I won't become a trillionaire writing books? Damn, better quit now lol goals are much better any way, as my ocd can get them done.Pat Hatthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07745293224202430152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136420115688099157.post-19078902613534648112014-10-08T12:31:15.454-04:002014-10-08T12:31:15.454-04:00Hi Anne - what a great sensible down to earth post...Hi Anne - what a great sensible down to earth post - goals and achievements in short achievable steps are way better than dreaming .... to where?! Cheers HilaryHilary Melton-Butcherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17596532480645510678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136420115688099157.post-82423556238502886122014-10-08T12:17:33.868-04:002014-10-08T12:17:33.868-04:00Never really thought about the difference between ...Never really thought about the difference between goals and dreams but you are so right, they are very different things! Thanks for an interesting post.Suzanne Furnesshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00908200156114453054noreply@blogger.com