Learning how to be a Great Writer

A friend of mine asked me a question this week. "Do you want to win a contest, or do you want to be a Great Writer?" She knew the answer to this question because her answer would be the same as mine. Both. Writing is not for the faint of heart. It's not something that flows easily from the tip of the pen, or the clicks of the keyboard. Writing requires a commitment. Dedication. It's like a lifetime love affair. When you love someone, you have to put your heart out there, exposed, hoping that they will love you back. Maybe they won't. Maybe your heart will get broken, or even crushed. But still, you had the guts to put it out there. Writing is much the same way. You love your story and your characters. You want other people to love them too, so you put your writing out there, exposed, hoping that someone will like it and fall in love with it. When your heart gets broken, does that mean you will never love again? Does it mean that no one else will ever love you? No. You will love and be loved again. It's the same with your writing. Everyone has an opinion, and not all opinions are the same. I don't like chocolate cake, but that doesn't mean that chocolate cake is bad. My husband loves chocolate cake, but that doesn't mean that he is bad. And even though I don't like chocolate cake, that doesn't mean that I don't like my husband. I don't like to read murder mysteries. I much prefer sweet romance novels with lots of conflict. That doesn't mean that murder mysteries are bad. So if one person doesn't love your writing, that doesn't mean that someone else won't. Should you just give up and stop trying? If you have to rewrite and edit, does that mean that you should retreat and stop writing? No. You keep working on your love-hate relationship with your writing and find the place where you have edited the life back into it and someone else loves it. There are always fish in the sea. There's a great big world out there. You'll find love elsewhere. Once you find the love, it will inspire you to keep giving the love by producing more of your heart's ponderings. Anything is possible if you are willing to work at it. Even marriage is something you have to work at. Everyday. Writing is taking a chance that your heart will be broken, and being tough enough to pick up the pieces and try again. In essence, if I never get my heart broken, I may never be a Great Writer.
So I will edit. I will write and rewrite. I will be Great, if only for myself...........and I will dream.......and write again.........

And my critique buddies will cheer me on!