Did you pack joy on your adventure?

Hey there, Writer!

As a writer on a rather tumultuous journey, I wish I’d been told, somewhere along the way: Pack joy.

So easy to absorb ourselves with the conquest, the achievements, the pursuit, that we often forget about happiness, fulfillment, and purpose.

That writing is an adventure.

Long ago, when my days were foggy and sullen, writing was too painful. I turned my back on it. Turned my back on the one thing that mattered so much when I was a kid. Countless hours spent sitting on a windowsill, notebook propped on skinned knees, writing about good wolves, fairies, princesses, and secret tunnels in castles.

What the hell happened to all of that? Why did it suddenly seem so … so … pointless?

Was it because I hadn’t yet “made it” as a novelist? Perhaps I’d outgrown my childish fantasies of seeing my book in a library or bookstore. Could it have been too many criticisms of my stories?

All I knew for sure in those foggy and sullen days, I didn’t like writing anymore. The burden of failure so heavy upon my shoulders, I couldn’t open a notebook.

There was no joy, no sense of wonder, no energy to continue along the path of my dream. Writing seemed pointless because I was failing to make my dream come true.

And then one brighter day: if I can’t bushwhack the path of my dream with joy, then that is pointless.

The best dreams have landslides. There is no perfect job, no perfect career, no perfect life. The mistake some writers make is setting their sights on their dream without preparing themselves for a long, tough, risky journey toward that dream.

On that brighter day, I remembered I am a writer down to the marrow. Inventing worlds, creating a cast of characters, and scheming stories is my natural state of being.

I then moved forward on my writing journey. I published some of my shorter pieces. I began freelancing as a story coach. I created a website and took courses for all my readers.

Don’t misunderstand: I worked hard to make those things happen. But the trick I added was that I always worked with joy and wonder. A sense of adventure.

The dream didn’t change, but my attitude did.

Dream. Dream big. Prepare for a long, hard chase. Jockey for position. Set off tough and steady. Pause for wonders. Wonders that will make your journey worth every stumble.

Have you packed joy on your journey? I love to hear from other writers! Comment and share your thoughts on writing as an adventure!

Thank you for sharing your journey with me.

Have a writerly day!