The Undiscovered Country

Ups And Downs

Often when I experience a series of good things, I soon find myself standing in the equivalent of a dark valley. Or at least a shadowed one.

Since it happens so often, you'd think I'd expect it, or be used to it. Try neither, but I've at least convinced myself to endure it – hopefully with a smidgen of grace.

The highs came from placing 2nd in the Writer's Digest contest and the agent asking for the first three chapters of my novels during the conference.

The low I'm in now is partially due to coming down with a cold (yay), and giving one of my manuscripts to a fellow writer. She likes the story, and her edits so far are quite accurate and will only make me a better writer – which is why I asked for her critique in the first place. I'm far too close to my writing, it's sometimes near impossible to look at it objectively. That's why critiques are so important.

Those infuriating voices, however, those ones we're all familiar with that try to convince us how awful we are, and that we should give up writing. They won't leave me alone.

A few weeks ago someone asked how others fight off the uncertainties of being a writer. This is how I responded:

Realize those thoughts do not come from God. And since they don't come from God, who do they come from?

I have those thoughts myself, all the time, and it usually happens right before a breakthrough. Time to put on the armor of God, my friend, because only with Jesus can you fight the enemy. You're in my prayers.

I don't always take the above advice. Sometimes I prefer to wallow in self-pity.

Speaking of self-pity …

But first off, a warning and apology to my gentlemen readers: I will mention a certain female function you might want to skip over.

It seemed every time we went camping or on a long trip this year, it happened during that time. Attending the writer's conference was not an exception.

In fact, I was pissed at God that he would allow it. Why? Because it happened two weeks later than normal, to the point I wondered if I was either pregnant or officially entering menopause. Almost the entire four days, I came close to cursing God for cursing me. Especially during a time when I needed to focus on the conference. Instead, I worried about whether or not I would end up having to take an emergency bathroom break.

I mentioned the conference to fellow writers during a get-together we have once a month last weekend. We talked about how not knowing anyone else there, we end up standing on the fringes. One of the ladies in the group mentioned how since every writer likes to talk about themselves, it's important to ask other writers about who they are and what they write instead of talking about ourselves all the time.

I realized then how much my attitude affected the way I treated other writers. I stood on the fringes along with other writers who didn't know anyone. Since I felt gross, sad and frustrated, I didn't want to talk about myself or my writing. I instead approached others standing by themselves and asked them questions. Unless someone asked, I avoided talking about myself.

Turns out, I ended up talking to mostly first-time attendees who I'm sure felt out of sorts – much like I do every time I attend a conference, first time attendee or not.

If I didn't have my – issues – I kind of doubt I would have been as interested and accommodating as I was. Until I talked about it last weekend with the writers group, I didn't consider that perhaps God intended my attitude to be subdued to help other attendees – especially first-timers – and not necessarily myself. If that's the case, I kinda like how God chose me to do that. If nothing else, I'm not cursing him anymore, because something positive came from it.