Laura Bennet – Author

It’s not always glamorous…imagine your worst day, and know that’s going to happen twice a week.

Yesterday, confidence reigned as I finished some editing, worked on a novel, and began adding my husband’s latest contribution to our book, The Miracle of Us: Confessions of Two Online Daters. Tasks were moving along so well, I hummed as I typed. We were making progress.

My book proposal creation was moments away from commencing, when…

I copy pasted Brendan’s section into my manuscript and a blasted black line appeared across the bottom of the page. No worries. I’ll simply delete it, I thought. But, it wouldn’t budge. I checked my formatting and nothing indicated the reason for the black line. Apparently, it didn’t exist. Highlighting it, I then right clicked and hit delete. Nothing. Every way I knew to remove it proved futile.

I sent a message to my husband stating, “We have a problem here. I can’t get rid of the black line. How did you make it??”

He had simply used the underline key. No big deal. We’ve all done it hundreds of times, but this time the black line refused removal. Brendan couldn’t even dislodge it from his own document! Even when I copied only the first paragraph, the mysterious line appeared. Of course. Because only minutes prior to the cursed black line, I had been moving along at a great pace. (FYI – problem still not solved).

My situation reminded me of the above quote by Sunny Goode (DIY magazine, Spring 2012). It gripped me when I first read it because of its stark reality. Initially, her perspective even felt a bit discouraging. But Sunny went on to explain that she loves what she does so much, she can deal with a couple of bad days a week. I actually agree with her.

Yesterday’s challenge threw me into frustration mode temporarily.

But I love writing, and I can’t stay discouraged permanently when I get to do what I love. Even with the reality that I’m going to have at least one or two rough days each week; and somehow, figure out how to get rid of that black line.

What is your reality with writing? What discourages you? Do you love it enough to keep at it, even when it’s your worst day?