Many of you know that I am training for the L.A. Marathon coming up this May. I went from doing very little exercise to 13 miles in just 2 months! I can hardly believe it myself! Last night I started to read this runners book ,"The Runners Guide to the Meaning of Life, by Amby Burfoot, Winner of the 1968 Boston Marathon"and these words were particularly poignant,
"Nothing ventures nothing gained.....Nothing started, nothing experienced, nothing learned, nothing finished.
Starting lines are one of the most important stations in life. We need to do more than just avoid them. We need to actively seek them out. Otherwise, we grow stagnant. We will disappear into black holes.
When you see the first hazy edges of a starting line begin to form in your life, don't avoid it. Don't look the other way. Try to bring the starting line into sharper focus. Consider its potential. Remember that if you don't go to the starting line, you will never view the whole course with all its possibilities.
And you will certainly never see the glories of the finish line."
This was poignant to me because just recently my literary agent called me to tell me she didn't think that she was the agent for me and that she didn't think she knew enough about the crafting industry to promote my book to publishers properly. So we have amicably separated and I am at a new starting line...sending out more queries/proposals. At first I hung my head and shed a tear or two and then I got back in the game! What else could I do? I knew my book was great and my future books are awesome as well! Why stop when things are just starting? So I immediately emailed the other agents that wanted to see more of my book (before I kindly told them I had already had representation) and I even found a publishing company and craft magazine on twitter that I could sent stuff to!
So with that being said....."Remember that if you don't go to the starting line, you will never view the whole course with all it's possibilities." I'm posting my new How to Videos here today as well! Hope you enjoy them :)
You have such a good attitude! I love that you are able to pick yourself back and get back on the query train! You are so right about the starting line. I get so overwhelmed when I'm getting ready to start something because I can't see the end. I am so impatient that I want to see the beginning, middle, and end all at once. But I know that's not always feasible. I need to just push off into the unknown and do my best. Thanks for this post!!
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry to hear about your agent. In the end if she didn't feel like she could do your book justice than it's probably for the best, but that stinks that you have to go back into the trenches. No doubt you'll have representation again soon! Love the cupcake videos. You have great camera presence and you look so cute!
ReplyDeleteThat is great advice. I feel like I've just found my starting line, and the length of the race is a little daunting. But at least I'm there. Sorry to hear about your agent. Good luck getting re-representation.
ReplyDeleteWith your determination, I know you'll be agented again soon. Loving the cupcake videos. You make me laugh. And you're soooo adorable. Seriously.
ReplyDeleteSerious bummer about your agent!!! But I love that you posted your how-to videos here as well. I hope that lots of people get to see them!! Keep on keeping on!!
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