A Marathon and Not A Sprint
Real Title: The Tortoise was Laughing His Ass Off at the Hare
There is so much as writers we do that takes time. We write that fabulous story that is burning for us to write. Yes I know sometimes it is a slow burn that makes you want to pull your hair out or comes in starts and stops but the gist is that you write. Then when that is completed the real work starts. Getting that uncut and natural gem ready for the world. We want to make it all nice and shiny so someone will want to take it home. That is the goal right. Getting your books in front of readers who will hopefully enjoy them.
The things is we all have different paces we write, get it ready and the ability to put out your best product. Refer to my wording I said best not perfect because nothing in life is perfect and striving for perfection is an unattainable goal. And back to my point. Your pace is yours and that is fine. So stop worrying about what everyone else is doing. What everyone else is accomplishing. This adventure is about you. So work at what you want.
And remember you don’t need to sprint to get to the end because in writing if you want to make a career or even if you do this as a hobby there is not an end. There will be another book, another release prep, and another release. Then repeat over and over. So if you sprint for all of that you will burn yourself out. So set your pace and do what works for you.
Remember that story about The Tortoise and the Hare. The hare thought he would win because he was fast but let his arrogance make his lose. Now here’s my spin on it in context of writers. Yes there are many who seem to be the hare, no not the arrogance but that speed if the hare had ran like his butt was on fire. That’s many writers but…that’s not true that they are always running as if there butt is on fire because if you are always running they’d burn out. So many run fast when needed then take a tortoise speed when needed. I think of it as:
HareTor
Yes I so made that up and have another I made up too. snicker did I mention I’m a little weird. Nope well here is that mention. So back to the HareTor. To me that’s when an author puts on speed as needed to get things done. It’s never to be maintained forever just pulled out when needed.
And now for my next made up word:
TorHare
To me this is when an author slows down and wait for it the world doesn’t stop and fall down but still keeps going. They still get things done. This is the longevity one that can be adapted as needed.
Do a switcheroo from HareTor to TorHare as needed. Do that dance if it suits you. If you are one or the other only then that is fine too.
For those always HareTor out there I’ll be cheering you on. I might be screaming ‘run like you ass is on fire’…snicker who am I kidding I will so be screaming that I might even get the t-shirt.
For those TorHare out there I’ll be cheering you on. I might be screaming ‘work it baby and show me that slow and steady’…snicker who am I kidding I will so be screaming that I might even get the t-shirt.
It’ll be a reversible one so I can switcheroo as needed.
And you know the wonderful thing about either speed you can do what suits you. Do a switch between them as needed or if you are one or other then that is fine. Or lets get crazy and try a combination. At the end of the day it’s all about what works for you.
See for me I’m a rebel and well I move in what I like to call Island Time (in case you are not aware I’m originally from St. Thomas, USVI). I walk in Island Time too. People when I walk in island time is always zipping by me but many times they miss things and when I get where I am going and see them. Note the see them which means I caught up even though I was walking Island Time they zipped by yet there we are together. Did you see that correlation I made there. I’m feeling very witty right now. Hey I gotta get my good feelings in.
Now back to the Island Time . One of the things I know and have seen for myself although where I am from we have a laid-back attitude and ways we get shit done. (yes I swear from time to time) And I mean it might seem like it won’t be then wham it’s not only done but ready when needed. Yes baby do a boogie for Island Time. No…well I can dance alone I’m that secure. LOL. Maybe.
And now the point. Island Time works for me. I’m one who knows when to move fast when needed but also know when to take things as they come. No matter which I do I still get stuff done. People think when they look at me I’m sprinting when in reality I’m setting my own pace. Making my own path and how I do things. I’m keeping my eye on what is my goal and not looking at others. This works for me.
So make sure you find what works for you. Find your own rhythm and enjoy the marathon. Or if you do that the sprint. Or get wild and do a switcheroo. Which ever it is keep on moving.
So in the end I like to think yes the tortoise was laughing at the hare but when they arrived at what was to be the finish line they found it was not. So the two of them decided to join forces and become wait for it:
HareTor then the switcheroo TorHare as needed. They learned to adapt as needed to get them to keep always moving to that continuously moving finish line. So go be that HareTor to TorHare or whichever works for you.
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