So Much Writing So Little Time

As I continue on my journey to becoming a well-known published author I learn things along the way. One of the first things I learned was hard work and diligence. Nothing gets accomplished over night. So in order to succeed you have to work hard at it. Now I can't say what that means for other authors who are trying to make it or already have, but for me it means writing every day; for hours on end. Sure I see the story in images in my mind vividly and clearly. Conveying everything that I see accurately into words to make sure I create the exact same image in the reader's mind is definitely easier said than done.
The next thing I learned is that in order to succeed it takes a lot of time management. Multitasking a number of stories along with your other responsibilities and all the while keeping everything straight and separate is a lot of hard work. It can even feel overwhelming at times when you have a lot on your plate. You'll feel like everything is coming at you all at once and from multiple directions.
I tell you I've loved reading and writing all my life, but I never knew exactly how much hard work and effort goes into making the end product; a published book. No matter if it is printed or an e-book. Now I truly understand why a number of authors say that if you don't love it you won't be doing for long.
And I think that is one of the most important lessons I've learned so far. That I truly love writing and want to see my creations out there in the world with every fiber of my being. Which is why staring at my computer for hours on end, writing every story idea that comes to mind, then tweaking and re-tweaking it until I have it just the way i want. Editing and then re-editing, doing my best to make sure all the spelling and grammar mistakes are taken care of before submission, pulling all-nighters one after the other, making sure to meet submission deadlines. It's all worth it to me the moment I receive that letter or e-mail saying "congratulations. You're story has been selected for publishing." It's those moments that I know whether in print or e-book my story will be out there in the world forever. That's just one of the thoughts that always make me smile and keep me motivated as well as focused on my goal.