Tunnel Vision

The first day of nursing school my instructor told the class to look to our left and right, which we did. "One of the people you're sitting next to won't make it," she said.

Huh, I thought, I wonder which one. Then I realized two people were looking at me and wondering if I would.

The instructor was right. Nearly half our class dropped out along the way.
Every day, I thought about it too. Nursing school was incredibly hard. I ate, breathed, and slept pathophysiology and microbiology for three long years. I hated almost every minute of clinicals.

Every day I considered quitting. Every day. Lucky for me I had a boyfriend at the time,(hi Mark) that shared his motto "never say die". Anytime I cried that I just couldn't make it another day, he repeated that phrase.

My motto was that I would quit tomorrow. I'd get through today and then consider giving up in the morning. Well, when the morning came, I said the same thing.

I graduated near the top of my class and their vice-president. I'll never forget the face splitting smile I wore down the aisle to pick up my diploma and degree. I was so proud of myself. I couldn't believe the day had really come that I'd made it.


I read somewhere, so believe me I'm not saying it's a fact, that one in 20K novels gets published. Gulp. I don't know if that's right but it probably is.

I read lots of ms (manuscripts). Some are better than others. Some writers reek of talent. Some just reek. But, I have an idea of which will eventually make it...and it's not neccesarily the most talented ones.

The writers who have tunnel vision.

You have to in this business when you're trying to break it. You may write four novels, like Stephen King, before one actually sells. Imagine that.

I'm only on my second and I can't tell you how freaked out I was that I spent two years writing something that may never sell.

So, look to your left and right and in front of you and behind you and then go to a stadium full of people and know that only one of you will get your novel published.

You know which one of you it will be? The one who's still there when everybody else goes home.

To get published:

Learn your craft. (give it years)

Learn the publishing business.

Be teachable. This is a big one.

And don't give up.

As for myself, I've decided to quit, but not until tomorrow. Today I'll write my heart out.