Oh, the Places you'll Go!

Today my focus is on motivation. Why? I'm currently stuck in that line of thought where I feel like I'm in l-i-m-b-o. Yes, I really MUST spell it out for fear I'll believe it. I really don't want to admit it. This is the uncharted stage of a writer's career where she/he visits The Waiting Place. Dr. Seuss explained it rather well.

"You can get so confused that you'll start in to race down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace and grind on for miles across weirdish wild space, headed, I fear, toward a most useless place."

When will Fabulous Agent respond back? Did they like my manuscript? Should I keep my nose to the grindstone? Where did my focus go? That WIP is calling my name again. Should I check out other agents...get ready for another round of queries? Am I good enough? What if  I had a typo in my query letter? Was that title catchy enough? Surely my inbox must have something in it by now. Just one more peek. What can it hurt? Like I said...LIMBO.

I am reminded of something my sister mentioned years back. I don't even remember if these are her words or someone else's. It doesn't matter, because these words are brilliant!

"Doubt is the dark room where negatives are developed."

So where ever you are, STOP the doubt. Your career depends on it! If you ever want to witness your book published, cut out the doubt. Your happiness depends on it...along with your sanity!

In fact here are a few other things you should never say or do:

Phrases You Should Never Use

So as hard as it may be, don't wait around "for a Yes or No," or for "the fish to bite," or for a "better break...NO! That's not for you!"

Keep writing. Find new things to do. Read more books. Network. Blog. Do anything, anything to escape The Waiting Place.

You'll thank yourself later.

Anyone else in l-i-m-b-o? Chin up. Why not tell us about it.