My A-Z theme for the month of April is romance and the modern, technology-driven cubicle dweller (like me). Quitting is easy. Right? It’s the way you get out of things you don’t enjoy, you walk away, you leave them behind. Except…
…I suspect even though quitting is seen as an easy out, it can be far more painful than dealing with whatever it is. I’m not talking about in bad situations – a horrible job, an abusive relationship, a destructive habit. Though it’s true, those things can all be very difficult and painful to quit.
I’m talking about the things we want, but take work. Sometimes painful, rejection-filled work that digs deep into your soul and makes you question your every thought and action. Like fulfilling a dream. Or finding that special someone.
There are more ways now than ever before at any time in history to meet new people. You don’t even have to leave your house to be able to say “I have a friends in neighboring states, and Canada, and New Zealand, and Egypt.” I love the sound of “My friend in the UK told me…”.
But I’ve noticed in some instances, it makes relationships more disposable. It seems as though for some people, having never met their best friends or significant others in person, it’s easier for them to sever ties and walk away. If the relationship gets difficult, it’s far less painful to just quit than it would be to try and do that with someone they see on a daily basis.
And I think that’s a shame, and I’m as guilty of it as anyone. Letting my distant (mile-wise) friends drift away because it’s easier to quit than to remember to follow-up.
So how do we quit quitting?
PS In late December/early January, after over 150 queries sent for two different novels, across the span of three years, I queried a third, very much brand new novel. Very shortly thereafter I signed a contract with a publisher who has been fantastic to work with every step of the way. And as of today, Liquid Silver Books has made my first novel, CONFLICT OF INTEREST, available for pre-order.
My point is (besides a not so subtle “Check my book out if you’re interested”) is, I thought about quitting more times than I could count. But thanks to the encouragement of those very same friends and loved ones, almost all who were long-distance when I first met them, I was reminded sometimes…quitting isn’t really an option.
ah yes, quitting when it comes to writing is something that probably nags at all of us. I’ve heard authors like Sarah Dessen say this, and she’s a best seller who’s been writing for 15 years. Congrats on your book!
Great Post! Quitting is soooo easy. But I am one of those nuts who perseveres until I get what I want. And when I don’t get it, I’m depressed and despairing. Like the awful querying process, and then synopsis writing, aarrgghh! Rejection after rejection that I could wallpaper my rooms. I’ve saved them to read once in a while. However, just like you after 3 years, I received not 1 but 3 requests for publication. Now by the end of 2014 I should have 3 books published. Although, now that I’m going through the editing process, I keep thinking that my writing is so, so and wondering why they wanted the ms in the first place. I wonder if its a transition that writers go through?
Congratulations you on your up and coming novel!!
Interesting. I did a quit post too but things that are good to quit. lol.
It is too bad that people are so willing to quit on relationships nowadays. It does seem much easier to quit than do the hard work, also with writing.