An uphill climb

Last weekend I had the pleasure of climbing up the side of a beautiful Colorado mountain. I was as prepared as possible—the right shoes, comfortable clothes, a bottle of water and signs to point me in the right direction.

You know, that uphill climb is quite similar to writing. Most writers prepare themselves by going to conferences, practicing their craft, joining writers groups and critique groups.

Like most hiking trails, the one I was on started out smoothly and was clearly marked. I was fully confident that it would be a piece of cake. Then the path began to get steeper, and there were rocks, boulders and tree roots in the way. I was getting hot and sweaty. Even the water bottle began to feel like a 20 pound weight. I kept climbing upward and put my weary muscles out of my mind, and if my toe kicked a rock on the way, I remember to lift my foot higher the next time there was an obstacle in the path. I also tried not to get distracted by hikers who gave up and turned back before reaching their goal.

I bet many of those hikers could have had the thrill of reaching their goal if only they persisted. I have the same theory when it comes to being a published author. If only we persist, continue to strive for improvement and keep our eye on the goal, we just might reach that pinnacle we’ve dreamed of.