Last month when my sister and I went to hear Leif Enger speak at Parnassus Books, he said something that might have saved my career. During the Q&A he told a story about meeting Kate DiCamillo, one of his own literary heroes. His debut novel, Peace Like A River, had published several years earlier to great literary acclaim and he found himself in the mystifying position of writing his second novel. Enger described being somewhat paralyzed by his recent success. So he asked DiCamillo how she continued to publish books of such quality with such frequency. Her (paraphrased) response was as follows:
“I cannot speak to the quality. That is for other people to decide. As for the rest, it is likely that one day I might fail. But if I fail it won’t be because I didn’t show up.”
I heard that story and let out an audible sigh.
Kate DiCamillo is an author I have long admired. Her work has heart and whimsy and beauty in every sentence. It baffles me to think that she could ever struggle when approaching a blank page. But knowing that she does struggle—at least sometimes—only makes me love her even more.
I’ve thought about that story a great deal in the weeks since hearing Enger speak. It reminded me to practice the things that I preach:
Show up.
Finish the book.
And isn’t that the only real way to know if we have succeeded at anything? Finish. That’s it. That’s the secret.
Finish writing that novel.
Finish reading that book series.
Finish a workout program.
Finish knitting the baby blanket.
Finish planting the garden.
Finish hiking the Wild Atlantic Way.
Finish your degree.
Finish painting the living room.
It’s that easy and that hard.
Finishing = success.
This is how you know that I am deep into writing a new novel. It’s also how you know that the book hasn’t come together yet and that I am trusting the process. And by “trusting” I of course mean “clinging to it by the skin of my teeth.”
I need the reminders that Leif Enger and Kate DiCamillo so generously offerred. Because if I know anything, it is that you cannot truly fail if you will simply show up and finish the thing.
Keep your eyes peeled for another entry in our Writing Series. I’ll be back in the next few days to discuss how one goes about finding their natural writing voice.
Thank you!! Thank you!!! Thank you!!
Thank you! I’m close to finishing the second draft of my historical novel and every tough moment was worth it! I also said this to myself as I hiked the Kerry Way (loved the reference to the Wild Atlantic Way :)