“You enter the forest at the darkest point, where there is no path. Where there is a way or a path, it is someone else’s path. You are not on your own path. If you follow someone else’s way, you are not going to realize your potential.” ~ Joseph Campbell from A Joseph Campbell Companion
This is my life lesson for the week: to accept the path I’m on, which appears to be winding aimlessly through the thick of the forest, where lions and tigers and bears abound. Oh my! I must not waste time and valuable energy wishing I were on somebody else’s path. This is not so easy. There are a number of other paths that appeal to me just now:
1. The Traveler Path: On Facebook, I’ve been watching friends who are cavorting on beaches in Hawaii, or traveling in various and sundry other warm climates. They appear light hearted and frolicsome, unworried about finances, certainly not suffering pangs of guilt about the writing they are not doing while they lie on the beach.
2. The About to be Published Path: You know who you are! Not to mention any names, but Silver James and Gary Corby, are definitely on their way! And my already published friend Trudy has recently had yet another book accepted by a publisher.
3. The Attracting A Lot of Attention From Agents Path: Em, I see you over there!
4. The Choose a Plan and Stick With it Path: The master of this one would be Ken Kiser
I’m not even going to talk about the already published and hugely successful: that is a path best left unconsidered, if I value my serenity. Now, if I’ve mentioned your name, I’m not jealous of you. Really I’m not. I’m delighted at your success. And there is a lot of pleasant scenery and adventure on the path I’m traveling, so all is good. Really.
The lady doth protest too much methinks.
Okay, so I’m just a teensy tiny bit envious, but not in a bad way, or a mean spirited way. It’s really more my competitive streak popping up, spurring me on. Which in itself might be a bad thing. I’m realizing that Swimming North cannot be rushed. And shouldn’t be. I just need to hang out with it for awhile, thus the meandering path. I can, however, work as fast as I want on re-typing the YA Fantasy, so my plan, at least for today, is to put the energy that wants to get something done onto the Fantasy novel, and not rush the novel that doesn’t want to be rushed. And, of course, to consider the frightening plunge of tearing apart Remember one last time for another structural revision.
To all of you out there, no matter what path you are on, may your muse be kindly and the words come easy.
All Things Good (and other stuff) 
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March 29, 2009 at 11:59 am
Digital Dame
Don’t think about what’s not happening in your life, that way lies madness. I’d be depressed every minute of every day if I gave in to the idea that I’ll never be a world-famous violinist like Joshua Bell, or a thousand other things I could have done with my life.
“This manuscript of yours that has just come back from another editor is a precious package. Don’t consider it rejected. Consider that you’ve addressed it ‘to the editor who can appreciate my work’ and it has simply come back stamped ‘Not at this address’. Just keep looking for the right address.”
– Barbara Kingsolver
March 29, 2009 at 12:03 pm
uppington
DD – I love Barbara Kingsolver’s writing. And that is a beautiful and perfect quote, one that needs to go on the wall where I see it every day. Thank you for sharing!
March 29, 2009 at 4:01 pm
Gary Corby
I don’t think we’re necessarily on different paths. I know for sure we’re both traveling in the same general direction.
Believe me, there is no feeling of fear, uncertainty or doubt you can go through that everyone who gets an offer didn’t also experience.
March 30, 2009 at 10:14 am
janflora
Thank you for this post. I have been feeling a bit lost in the maze myself, passing the same points over and over. I know quite well how you are feeling! And look, we’re blog twins! [great quote DD!]
March 30, 2009 at 11:28 am
uppington
@ Gary Corby – I don’t feel like I’m traveling in any direction right now – just around in circles! But I imagine that most writers feel that way sometimes, probably even after you get the offer!
@ janflora – I’m glad I’m not the only one! I’m sure we’ll both find our way out eventually, once we find the magic whatever it is that we’re supposed to pick up here before moving on. Maybe I’m very blonde today, but I’m missing how we are blog twins, and I really want to know. You may need to spell it out for me, lol.
March 30, 2009 at 2:52 pm
Silver James
Heh, I have bad news for you, uppington. Just when you think you can float, you either realize that you are back to swimming against the current or treading water. With the first sale comes pressure for the second sale, revisions, edits, and a Muse standing there stomping her foot wanting to explore new projects. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining! That quote is perfect. I’ll refrain from breaking into “Aquarius” (When the moon is in the seventh house and Jupiter aligns with Mars…) but sometimes, I feel like that’s what it takes to get the right manuscript into the hands of the right editor or agent on the right day of the right week of the right month of the right year….
While so much of what we do as writers depends on craft and perseverance, and while many will deny that luck had anything to do with it, I wonder. I certainly feel lucky, even as I look at the storage shelf in my office–the one laden with old manuscripts and rejection letters. A writer with talent, imagination, and skill will get published eventually. The key is to not get discouraged and give up. LOL. Now I’m tempted to sing “Just keep swimming,” from Finding Nemo. So that’s my advice. Just keep swimming.
March 31, 2009 at 8:01 am
gypsyscarlett
Hey Uppington,
I know how you feel regarding the realization that your novel can’t be rushed. I thought I was almost done a couple of months ago. But it came up short (more novella length) , so I added a subplot and a new character. Now I’m up to proper novel length and the whole story seems richer for it. (no filler!- I made very sure not to have extra words just for padding).
But now it’s taken more time since I have to revise and edit all the new stuff. The process has been mind numblingly slow. But at least I’m proud that I’ve been working at it diligently.
Hang in there, Uppington! 🙂
March 31, 2009 at 2:14 pm
janflora
🙂 we have the same template…and now I’m singing “just keep swimming, just keep swimming” in my head 🙂
March 31, 2009 at 4:30 pm
uppington
@janflora Your website isn’t coming up with you comments – I’ll track you down though! I sing just keep swimming all the time – it’s my mantra, lol. Can’t stop, or I’ll sink or be eaten by sharks. Besides, I really do enjoy the adventure, even though I whine sometimes.
March 31, 2009 at 4:34 pm
uppington
@Tasha – good for you! Novels just don’t grow on trees, do they? At least not usually. A lot of painstaking thought, and then more thought, and then rethinking the thoughts, and a hell of a lot of work. Can’t wait until we can all see what you’ve been writing!
March 31, 2009 at 4:47 pm
gypsyscarlett
Thanks Uppington. You too!
I do dream of seeing all of our books in stores one day. The coolest thing will be able to say, “I knew this person when!”
March 31, 2009 at 5:15 pm
On the March « writer’s flow
[…] an upswing. It would be nice if the two were combined in my life, which is the ultimate goal. But, as I was reminded the other day by Uppington, this path I am on right now will lead to another eventually. I have been down rockier ways, that […]
April 1, 2009 at 1:38 pm
leftywritey
{{{{{{{{{{{{{ Uppington }}}}}}}}}}}}}}
Awwww. I almost fell out of my chair seeing my name in your post, lol! I’m still so used to being this desert hermit with horse nose-juice smeared on my arm and hay in my shoes. : )
The agent interest (pretty cool, for sure) also has me feeling sick to my stomach and scared to death of my query inbox, lol. I joke with my husband, calling it the Query Diet — at least my pre-Christmas jeans fit again! : )
I personally believe, for all of us, our moment will come when the time is right. That belief has helped me a lot, especially during the times when it hasn’t been my time, yet, but everyone else’s — and, most of my life, it hasn’t been my time. It’s been a long, long wait since being the eight year old girl submitting little things to Reader’s Digest and getting rejected. I wish I still had those rejection slips. : )
Just remember you are a great writer. That’s the hardest part, and you got it going on.
As you know, my first novel took ten years to write and edit and complete. Drove me batty, at times. I’m glad this second one was quicker. I’m glad I can write more than one — I wasn’t sure, before.
And you have four novels — that’s amazing. It’s only a matter of time … and like Tasha, I can’t wait to go into the bookstore and pick out all of our novels, one day, grinning with pride and remembering our talks in the comments section of our blogs. : )
Now I’m going to cry, lol.
Em
April 1, 2009 at 1:43 pm
Venus
I genuinely enjoy your writing and find it hard to believe that you won’t get your book published if that is what you want to do because the talent is there. Maybe I am not as caught up yet in the publishing side of things but I write because I love it and I don’t want to ever lose that. Not getting recognition would be a far lesser tragedy for me than not being able to write what I can write because I got too distracted with worldly considerations. If that happens I hope I have the courage to give up writing because it would be a perversion of my art.
I don’t know if I am helping here. You have an amazing voice. When I read what you have written whether it’s in comment or in a post I go through that experience with you and I am grateful for people like you who can do that. So, don’t lose faith and write the book that’s in you.
http://venusreinvented.blogspot.com
April 1, 2009 at 5:48 pm
uppington
@Em – my first novel took me 10 years to write, as well! And then I let it sit around for 6 years. Now I’m trying to revive it, and the files are corrupted, and I’m retyping most of the damned thing!! I think it’s punishing me for neglect. You have my empathy with the nerves – I honestly think the best thing, when you’re querying, is to get right to work on the next project.
@Venus – that may just be the best and most needed advice I’ve heard for a really long time. I hope we can all be true to our creative vision, and I think that a writer’s integrity definitely gets tested once you get into the publishing world.
@everybody – thank you for the kind words of support.
April 4, 2009 at 7:35 pm
Ken Kiser
Wow…
My efforts have officially warranted a “Path Name”
I’m honored.