Honestly the hardest thing I had to deal with during my wife’s family’s family reunion was the owners of the property where we stayed.

The husband (who seems to be the one detailed to actually maintain the place) was quite evidently not committed to the operation. He had another business that he was interested in and was quick to write off issues and problems with the property as being his wife’s ‘thing’.

The wife (who I have not met in person) by all appearances is trying to run the business, but she really doesn’t seem to have put the learning and thought into really running things. I could be wrong in my diagnosis, but it was very easy to identify problems. Even when you filter out the maintenance issues which she sent her husband to deal with there were business end items that the husband was quick to put squarely on her shoulders.

But what does this have to do with writing?

Well, writing is a serious business. Writing is something that there aren’t a whole lot of people who are actually going to be pushing you to do (at least not in a way that is helpful). Writing is something that you personally have to put the time and effort in on if you want to succeed.

You can get help (I’ve discussed it here), but ultimately writing is a vocation that requires personal effort. It takes time, learning, thought, and heart. Writing is something that you have to commit to.

In The Karate Kid Mr. Miagi said, “Karate is like road. Karate Yes, OK. Karate no, Ok. Karate maybe so? Squish.” In Think and Grow Rich Napoleon Hill teaches us to decide what we want and what we will give to get it. Both of these apply to writing one hundred percent.

To write anything worthwhile, long or short, fiction or nonfiction, you have to pay the price. You have to put in the work. If you are just going to ‘try’ you will fail. If you commit and do you have a chance to succeed.

I’m not always perfect. We all have off days and days we can’t give 100%. But, if you want to be a writer and you want to have a product that is worthy, you have to commit. You have to put in the time and effort. You have to read, learn, write, and edit with real intent and effort. You have to do what you need to do to succeed.

If you do all that you can and fail. Well, you failed while daring greatly. If you failed because you didn’t do enough. Well, that’s on you.

If you choose to be involved in this endeavor I do want you to succeed dear reader. That’s why this blog is here. The idea is to assemble what you need and the rest is on you. See you next post.