Friday, March 23, 2012

Quotes and Cookies: Impossible to Discourage


"It is impossible to discourage the real writers - they don't give a damn what you say, they're going to write."

~Sinclair Lewis


I like this quote, because I'm in love with the thought of being impervious to discouragement.

BUT

It doesn't totally ring true to me. I like to think of myself as a real writer. But that doesn't mean I'm never going to get discouraged. (I'm not alone in this, right?) The point is, we get past it. In the end, the writing means enough that it doesn't matter what naysayers say! We get over discouragement. We don't let it KEEP us down.

Okay, so maybe one shouldn't mess with a deceased man's quote. But I'm going to anyway, and hope it isn't as offensive as doing a jig on his grave. (If it is, I really apologize, Mr. Lewis. I'll bring flowers to your grave next time I'm near Greenwood Cemetery. And I swear I won't so much as step a foot on your grave.) I think it should say something like "It's impossible for a real writer to STAY discouraged - they don't give a damn what you say, they're going to write."

So let's raise a cookie and toast to not staying discouraged! (And what says "Discouragement not allowed" better than good ole chocolate chip cookies?)

Photo Credit for Donna's Gourmet Cookies

Have an incredibly fabulous weekend, everyone!

45 comments:

Elodie said...

YES!
You are very much right, Peggy! Everybody gets discouraged...some days are easier than others but the dedication we show is what makes the difference :D
Have a great weekend, Peggy!

Maria Zannini said...

Cookies! Did someone say, cookies?

I like your version better. Everyone (normal) gets discouraged some time. It's being able to get up, dust yourself off, and get back into the fray that makes the difference.

Delia said...

Yeah, I think he's missing a "permanently" in there somewhere. I wonder if I have chocolate chips in the cabinet...

JeffO said...

mmmmmmmmm, chocolate chip. So simple. So basic. So good.

I have to agree with you on this one, Peggy. As The Doubting Writer, I live in a perpetual state of doubt and discouragement (just kidding; I'm actually feeling pretty positive about my writing as a whole). It's natural to get down at times, either because someone - especially someone who's opinion you value - doesn't think your work is as good as you hoped, or because it's hard to get published, or whatever. The point is the thing that drives us to tell stories and write rises up, and discouragement turns to determination. And we're back at it.

Have a great weekend.

Adam Heine said...

As soon as I read the quote at the top, I had the exact same thoughts. It's possible to discourage me, but not for very long :-)

Tasha Seegmiller said...

I like your twist on it better. And I'm ever on the quest for the perfect chocolate chip cookie. Is there such a thing?

Valerie Hartman said...

Self-doubt can reign, but discouragement to the point of inaction? No way. Great motivation to keep working this morning. And I may need a few cookies to help. Of course, I am starting to get discouraged about my jeans, but that is a different issue altogether. Happy Friday!

Shell Flower said...

Mmmm...good cookies. *wipes crumbs away* Thanks! And I'm glad I'm not the only one who gets discouraged. I totally agree that it's all about getting over it. We have our bad days, but then we write something awesome and it gets better.

Cristina said...

your version is way WAY better!!!!!!!! :)

Kimberlee Turley said...

I shouldn't read your blog unless it's after lunch. Now I have to find a place that has cookies for sale at 9 in the morning.

Amanda Olivieri said...

Yup, completely agree with your version. It's almost impossible not to get discouraged sometimes, but it's all about resilience.

And now I'm craving chocolate chip cookies! My favorite :)

Anonymous said...

It is impossible to get discouraged, and anyone that says otherwise is lying. Rejection is part of the game, and that causes some level of discouragement.

Love those cookies, but I'll stick with the Cadbury Creme Egg windfall I received yesterday... :o)

Kelley Lynn said...

I like how you've rewritten it. I don't very often get discouraged with my writing, but it does happen sometimes. We're human.

Faith E. Hough said...

I agree with you. When I get a rejection, I always tell my family, "Okay, I'm eating chocolate and wallowing for one evening. Then I'm done."
Of course the chocolate works wonders, and sometimes the wallowing only lasts an hour. But I still need to wallow! :)

Anonymous said...

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away... [needle scratches vinyl]

Okay, a long time ago I used to let the rejections affect me. Not anymore. I have well over 100 rejections and after a while, it's just part of being a writer.

Everything will work out, Peggy, you'll see. All you need is that one "yes" and it's a whole different ballgame! :D

BTW, I tagged you in the 11 Questions post today on my blog! ;)

Cortney Pearson said...

I think you're absolutely right! I definitely get discouraged at times, but I always pick myself back up again because I LOVE to write!! :D

Chantele Sedgwick said...

Oh, I get discouraged all the time. I don't think it ever goes away. But it's nice to be able to know you can push through it. :)

Have a great weekend, Peggy! :D

Donna K. Weaver said...

I like your change, Peggy.

"We get over discouragement. We don't let it KEEP us down."

I just have to remind myself of that.

Angela Cothran said...

I totally think those cookies could cure discouragement!!!

Jenny S. Morris said...

I like your take on the quote!

Hope you have a great weekend!!

Kristine said...

I like this! And your honesty about how you feel about that quote.

Jessie Humphries said...

Shoot girl, I'm all kinds of discouraged right now...and I don't even have a good reason! But I vow to change that today!

prerna pickett said...

mmm those cookies look just like the ones my mother in law makes. And I can't agree with you more when it comes to the quote.

Nick Wilford said...

Yum!

Most of the discouragement comes from myself. Rejections aren't personal. And it can be good to go through those troughs, if we're stuck on a plot hole for example, it can be the spur to dig deep and come up with the solution. Nice post!

S.P. Bowers said...

Love your re-write of the quote.

A real writer won't stop writing, but that doesn't mean they don't get discouraged. They work through the discouragement and are better for it.

Tara Tyler said...

after a few of those cookies i might get over my rejection...

have a great weekend!

Christa Desir said...

Here's me...everyone gets two days of a pity party for writing setbacks. Then you move on. I like this because I know I'm allowed to mope and I know when it's over. Good post, Peggy.

Laura Josephsen said...

I agree--we're going to get discouraged sometimes, but then we keep writing because how can we NOT?

WilyBCool said...

I believe the quote to be true. A true writer writes for the sake of writing! ;D

Unknown said...

Phew, I thought for a moment there that I wasn't a true writer because I get discouraged, especially when I can't find time to write, or I compare my writing to someone else's. I like your version best, though wouldn't it be awesome if the first version was true?

Annalisa Crawford said...

Yummy cookies - need to eat something now!

To be honest I've got my discouragement down to 'Hmph'. And that's a real time exclamation, so I don't think I'm doing too badly acheiving the original quote.

E.D. said...

I agree. We fall down, then we get up and keep going.
Those cookies look so much better than the Pepperidge Farm ones I have on my kitchen counter...

Denise Baer said...

So true, Peggy.

I believe all writers get discouraged. Discouragement is a natural emotion, even for "real writers" (not quite sure how one is considered a "real" writer). Your change is Da Truth!

Kitty said...

I agree with you Peggy! Because the thought that as a writer, none of my fellow writers ever get discouraged (and I'm the only one) is ... um ... discouraging! :)

Carrie Butler said...

I like your version better. (I think we all owe Mr. Lewis flowers now...) It makes me want to belt out some TobyMac. :)

Have a great weekend!

Writer Pat Newcombe said...

Yes - I have to agree with you. The original quote seems to suggest that any written word is good enough but we all know that's not true. So critical comments should be accepted, maybe dwelt on for a few minutes (or maybe even one day), then move on!! Real writers don't stay down but they do want to get better and better...

Paul Tobin said...

I agree with you, we have to write. Good looking cookies too.

Alexis Bass said...

Those cookies!

I like the way you've altered the quote. Being discouraged is part of anything that's hard and important. But not letting it stop you is the tricky part! :) Happy Writing!

Tonja said...

It's not realistic that we won't get discouraged. I agree that picking yourself up and moving on is what we have to do. And cookies make everything better.

Laura said...

Yeah - I prefer your version! Thanks for the cookie - hope you're having a great weekend
Lx

Sarah Tokeley said...

If we didn't get discouraged, we'd never push ourselves to do better!

Lynn(e) Schmidt said...

Yes ma'am! I may need to dig out some cookies and cheers to you, too!

Anonymous said...

Great quote. Those cookies look sooo yummy! Where's the milk?

Susan Bodendo/Super Earthling said...

Writers are just people, not cold marble statues devoid of emotion. Of course we're going to get discouraged every so often. But we learn to push past the difficulties, to center ourselves, so we can work through whatever life happens to be dishing up at the moment. :)

Damn, I wish you hadn't posted that cookie picture. LOL

Anonymous said...

Great quote... but I think everyone gets discouraged at times... even real writers.. unless they are robots of course:)