Friendly Reminders, by Way of Quotes!

I've been on a revising spree and therefore don't have any fun facts for you on this Friday, but I do have a quote.

The key to realizing a dream is to focus not on success but significance - and then even the small steps and little victories along your path will take on greater meaning. - Oprah Winfrey

Now this is true for many aspects of life I'm sure, but it feels especially true for writers. There are many different levels that indicate success, be it getting an agent, a book deal, selling one book or a million - and the definition of success is different for each person.  But there are many small steps that I think are universal.

For example, getting my first full MS request a couple of weeks ago was certainly a step, as I think it is for each aspiring author who gets that first email that shows at least SOME interest. And the giddiness I felt while reading the email had nothing to do with achieving success, rather it was just from acknowledging that progress was being made.

This is all probably quite obvious, and I'm sure you're reading this and nodding your head thinking, "well duh!" But I don't think it hurts to be reminded to find the significance in little victories, especially when rejections are the norm in this industry.

So, on that note, I will leave you with this other quote I ran across in my beloved notebook full of my favorite quotes...

You must keep sending work out; you must never let a manuscript do nothing but eat its head off in a drawer. You send that work out again and again, while you're working on another one. If you have talent, you will receive some measure of success - but only if you persist. - Isaac Asimov

A friendly reminder, courtesy of my favorite Panera bathroom stall.

Okay and because I can't resist, a Stephen King quote from "On Writing." Which, by the way, is an incredible book that you should go read right now if you haven't already!

 You can, you should, and if you're brave enough to start, you will. Writing is magic, as much the water of life as any other creative art. The water is free. So drink. Drink and be filled up.