No Skipping
I have been thinking about this weeks blog for the past several days. I have been trying to figure out what I should talk to you guys about this week. The editing process can be boring and doesn’t always inspire us. The inspiration for this one came from two places, a conversation I had with my mom and something one of my sensei’s said.
I tested for my orange belt this week. During our test there is a lot of holding front position while he talks about what we will be facing in this test. We learn a number of forms, movements, strikes, and kicks. Each movement has a purpose. It is a test of endurance and not just of skills we have learned. One of the things he talks about is you will only get out of the test what you put in. The more effort you put in, the more tired you will be but the more you get out of your test. You have to start each test giving everything you have. You never start with only half the effort and work up. You give it all you have from start to finish. Do not skip steps. Follow through with each form that you are ordered to perform. Short cuts are not acceptable. Every step of the form is important because it all has a purpose. This is not just true about karate, it’s also true about every aspect in life.
In many ways, I have created my own form when it comes to writing. Each writer has their own form that works for them. I draft a book and then go back to work on an edit for the previous book. Once that edit is complete, I do an edit on the book I just finished drafting. From there I get to start drafting the next book. From time to time during editing, Savannah may give me a scene. I write it and put it to the side and get back to whatever I am suppose to be doing. It is what works for me and always has. It gives me a break from what I have just drafted, allowing me to have fresh eyes when it is time to start the editing on that book and for Savannah to take a break. She gets just as worn out as I do when we are drafting.
I have been working on editing book four and I have a long way to go before I get to move back to creating. Savannah has given me a scene that I have to write soon before she starts harping on me. I am itching to start drafting the next book because of that scene. I want to know what Savannah will give me next. I am also wanting to start drafting Liam’s book, which is two books away. I have been given a scene from that book as well. I am ready to start drafting now.
It would be easy to dump the editing for now and move on to the next book. The problem is I would be skipping steps on my form I have created for my writing process. It is a form I created only for me. No one would know if I skipped on the form but me. So why not just do it? I want to start creating, Savannah wants me to. Hell, even Liam my quiet Irishmen wants me to get started. The problem is form is everything. It will mean I am neglecting the entire form and not just skipping a piece of it. It also means I am not giving my all. I am only giving half the effort. I’m not okay with that.
This leads to the conversation with my mom. She has always taught me no matter what you are doing, do it to the best of your ability. If you are a trash collector, be the best trash collector you can be. Cutting corners is not putting forth your best effort. What it is doing, is short changing yourself and the work you are doing. The ones that suffers the most when you do this is you and your readers. Now I don’t have a lot of readers but I do have some. If I cut corners that means the story I put out there is not as good as it could be. They are getting less of what they fell in love with. That is not fair to them. My readers are the most amazing people I have ever known. They love Savannah and Santiago. They are itching for the next book because of their love for them. I can’t skip steps no matter how much I may want to or the fact that my readers are dying for the next book. They have to be patient just as Savannah and Liam need to be. I need to work the form I have created. I need to put forth my best effort to ensure I produce the best work I possibly can. I will be tired and may even want to stop but at the end of it I will have something I can be proud.
So make sure you are following through. Don’t skip steps, don’t half ass any part of your form. Follow through. Push yourself to give all you have to what you are doing. Your work will show your efforts. It means your readers will fall more in love with your story and so will you. Keep that in mind when you start thinking that it is okay to skip even the smallest of steps. Until next time!
I tested for my orange belt this week. During our test there is a lot of holding front position while he talks about what we will be facing in this test. We learn a number of forms, movements, strikes, and kicks. Each movement has a purpose. It is a test of endurance and not just of skills we have learned. One of the things he talks about is you will only get out of the test what you put in. The more effort you put in, the more tired you will be but the more you get out of your test. You have to start each test giving everything you have. You never start with only half the effort and work up. You give it all you have from start to finish. Do not skip steps. Follow through with each form that you are ordered to perform. Short cuts are not acceptable. Every step of the form is important because it all has a purpose. This is not just true about karate, it’s also true about every aspect in life.
In many ways, I have created my own form when it comes to writing. Each writer has their own form that works for them. I draft a book and then go back to work on an edit for the previous book. Once that edit is complete, I do an edit on the book I just finished drafting. From there I get to start drafting the next book. From time to time during editing, Savannah may give me a scene. I write it and put it to the side and get back to whatever I am suppose to be doing. It is what works for me and always has. It gives me a break from what I have just drafted, allowing me to have fresh eyes when it is time to start the editing on that book and for Savannah to take a break. She gets just as worn out as I do when we are drafting.
I have been working on editing book four and I have a long way to go before I get to move back to creating. Savannah has given me a scene that I have to write soon before she starts harping on me. I am itching to start drafting the next book because of that scene. I want to know what Savannah will give me next. I am also wanting to start drafting Liam’s book, which is two books away. I have been given a scene from that book as well. I am ready to start drafting now.
It would be easy to dump the editing for now and move on to the next book. The problem is I would be skipping steps on my form I have created for my writing process. It is a form I created only for me. No one would know if I skipped on the form but me. So why not just do it? I want to start creating, Savannah wants me to. Hell, even Liam my quiet Irishmen wants me to get started. The problem is form is everything. It will mean I am neglecting the entire form and not just skipping a piece of it. It also means I am not giving my all. I am only giving half the effort. I’m not okay with that.
This leads to the conversation with my mom. She has always taught me no matter what you are doing, do it to the best of your ability. If you are a trash collector, be the best trash collector you can be. Cutting corners is not putting forth your best effort. What it is doing, is short changing yourself and the work you are doing. The ones that suffers the most when you do this is you and your readers. Now I don’t have a lot of readers but I do have some. If I cut corners that means the story I put out there is not as good as it could be. They are getting less of what they fell in love with. That is not fair to them. My readers are the most amazing people I have ever known. They love Savannah and Santiago. They are itching for the next book because of their love for them. I can’t skip steps no matter how much I may want to or the fact that my readers are dying for the next book. They have to be patient just as Savannah and Liam need to be. I need to work the form I have created. I need to put forth my best effort to ensure I produce the best work I possibly can. I will be tired and may even want to stop but at the end of it I will have something I can be proud.
So make sure you are following through. Don’t skip steps, don’t half ass any part of your form. Follow through. Push yourself to give all you have to what you are doing. Your work will show your efforts. It means your readers will fall more in love with your story and so will you. Keep that in mind when you start thinking that it is okay to skip even the smallest of steps. Until next time!
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