Live in the Moment
I decided to join the Women’s Fiction Writing Association (WFWA) since the novel I’m working on is categorized as “women’s fiction”.
As soon as I joined, I discovered a pitch event within the association. Two weeks ago, I, along with 88 other hopeful writers of women’s fiction, submitted a 75-word pitch along with the first 500 words of our manuscripts. We critiqued/perfected each other’s pitches for the “agent showcase,” where 18 agents had access to the forum and looked over all the pitches. If they liked what they read, they asked for more.
(Next week, only for my newsletter members, I’m going to share exactly what I posted to that forum.)
I went into the event with low expectations, hoping that at least ONE agent would request more material from me. Here are the stats from the event:
Of the 88 participants:
· 57 writers got ZERO agent requests.
· 15 writers got ONE agent request.
· 7 writers got TWO agent requests.
· 5 writers got THREE agent requests.
· 1 writer got FOUR agent requests.
· 1 writer got FIVE agent requests.
· 0 writers got SIX agent requests.
· 1 writer got SEVEN agent requests.
· 1 writer got EIGHT agent requests.
This is reflective of what it’s like to try to get your book published. SO many people are putting themselves out there, and rejection is rampant. My heart hurts for everyone who got zero requests. I’ve been in those shoes.
The Quote
You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment. Fools stand on their island of opportunities and look toward another land. There is no other land; there is no other life but this.”
― Henry David Thoreau
Wanna take a guess at where I ended up in those pitch event stats?
At the end of the event, I had received seven agent requests. The event ended last week, and I’m still in mouth-open, wide-eyed shock. My immediate response was excitement of course, but then I jumped to the future, and told myself that they’d probably all end up rejecting me and that I needed to stop the excitement and brace myself for what was to come. It’s that self-preservation thing we all do. I honestly do expect rejection. I’ve received so much of it, it’s hard not to.
But I’m giving myself permission to enjoy this moment because it’s the only one I’m guaranteed. Life hits hard on a daily basis, and it’s important not to let what could be ruin what is.
I can’t know what the future holds, and neither can you. But right now, I’ll enjoy the fact that seven agents liked my idea and the first words of my novel enough to want to invest their precious time in reading more. I’ll enjoy this particular accomplishment, this happy moment, without fear of the potential crushing blows to come and without greed for more.
This is a picture for my positivity wall. Whatever happens, I’ll tuck this away for the “rainy days.”
Medical Moment:
Most of us don’t drink enough water in a day. Our bodies are made of about 60% water, and there are so many recommendations for how much fluid you should take in during a day. I used to hear, “8 cups a day!” Well, how much is a cup? (Most of our drinking cups are not 8oz.) And should 200lb Max drink the same as 100lb Sophia?
It varies depending on who you ask, but a fairly consistent suggested amount is determined by your weight.
2 ways to think about it:
1. Drink between half an ounce and an ounce of water for each pound you weigh, every day. For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, that would be 75 to 150 ounces of water a day.
2. Multiply your weight by 2/3 (67% or .67).
That’s more than 8, 8oz cups a day!
No matter how you do it, drink! For those of you standing in the OR for HOURS at a time or in a workplace/environment where it’s not easy to get to a bathroom, or you have a toddler, or…it’s hard. Try your best. Make an effort. Your energy level and your own health relies on it.
Don’t like water? Check out my blog post, Drink This, Not That on how to stay hydrated while keeping it healthy. (NO cokes! Not even diet!)
God in my day:
When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider this: God has made the one as well as the other. Therefore, no one can discover anything about their future.
Book Review: The Fault in Our Stars:
This one has been out there a while, but I read it not that long ago, and it was GREAT. It’s a young adult book, but so, so full of heart. Following Hazel, a young woman with terminal cancer, the reader is taken on a surprisingly humorous journey of love, friendship, and mortality.
I laughed. I cried. I loved this book.
If you haven’t read it, you should. Everyone should. (Okay, most should. I can understand someone who can’t take/doesn’t want the gut-punch that is talking about young people with tragic illnesses.)
Final thoughts:
Whatever you’re going through in your life, I hope you embrace today. Live each moment to the fullest.
If it’s a good day, hold onto the goodness, revel in it. If it’s a bad day, try to take it in stride, let it roll off, because good will come.
Nothing ever stays the same; you can count on change.
But there’s always something small to be thankful for in a day.
Thanks for reading. It means a lot.
Until next time,
Melissa
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