This post was written before Shatter Me, and for all of you -- us -- who are still struggling, who still doubt, who face the blank page and wonder whether a current piece of work is worth it, read on. (Hint: Yes, it is! : ) Believe in yourselves!)
on making mistakes
by Tahereh Mafi
by Tahereh Mafi
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Tahereh Mafi |
you finally allow someone to take a look at your stories only to have them rip it apart.
you finally land an agent only to discover the hard work has just begun.
you finally manage to sell a book only to realize you feel even tinier than you did before.
when you get positive feedback from a beta reader, an agent, a highly-regarded friend.
when you hear from readers, fellow writers, strangers you never knew existed.
my journey toward publication has barely started and i’ve already done everything wrong. i wrote my manuscripts wrong. i edited wrong. i queried wrong. i waited wrong. i made every possible mistake but i was committed to never giving up. i discovered that mistakes are okay when you learn from them, and bad manuscripts are just fine if you learn to laugh at them later. i knew that if the first book didn’t work i would write a second one. and if the second one didn’t work i would write a third. nothing was a waste of time. not the fourth book, not the fifth or the sixth. not the time i addressed a male agent by a woman’s name, not the times i thought “editing” meant “looking for typos”, and certainly not the hours i spent hunched over my computer with imaginary friends and places painting my world into something i never knew i could see.
i discovered:
- my first novel taught me how to write.
- my second novel taught me how to edit.
- my third novel taught me how to write elegantly.
- my fourth novel taught me how to write commercially.
- my fifth novel taught me how to combine all four.
- my sixth novel taught me how to write a book.
we're all human-beings aspiring to live up to our potential, aspiring to live up to our goals for the future. and i hope that when you look at your manuscript you will not doubt yourself. because you can never wonder if it's worth it, this novel you are writing. you can never wonder if you are wasting your time. because every single moment is a moment you are learning, growing, maturing, and cultivating your mind. this, what you are doing? is not a waste.
because you are made of momentum.
because you will be unbelievable.
i'm cheering for you.
Find Tahereh:
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Excellent thoughts. I love the encouragement. It really is a game of persistence, eh?
ReplyDeleteWow, she is just incredible. Thank you for sharing this with us.
ReplyDeleteIsn't she? : )
DeleteIs that the right rafflecopter widget? It says the giveaway is for an ARC of Compulsion.
ReplyDeleteScroll through the images. The Shatter Me series is at the end. : ) (Grand finale . . . )
DeleteThis is such a great post. Thanks for putting it here. I needed it.
ReplyDeleteMan, I remember those days...the days of her "before." What a great reminder!
ReplyDeleteRight? It seems like forever ago, but what a huge change there has been for her in four years!
DeleteThanks so much Tahereh - I got a huge rush of inspiration reading this post. It was lovely to meet you and Ransom at the "Welcome to Night Vale - Thrilling Adventure Hour" show at Comic Con. You were also terrific on the YA panel that Sunday!
ReplyDelete