Rising to the Challenge

I am a sucker for competition shows. Project Runway started it and I'm still an addict, but it eventually spread to all manner of shows, regardless of the subject matter. This past weekend, I had a few mini-marathons of a few of the shows I like. And I realized that the people who seem to do the best are often the ones who do not gripe about the challenges. (I've also realized that contestants who specialize in certain areas always perform the worst for the challenges related to their field. But that's another topic entirely.) I'm always surprised by how many of the contestants get all in a huff when presented with a challenge. Isn't that the point of the contest? And, really, if you're never challenged, how can you grow?

So that got me thinking about my writing. When I'm thrown out of my comfort zone, do I complain and give up easily or do I get down to business and do my best? Of course, I can't say I never complain. I certainly do. But Dead Locked has taught me a lot about rising to meet challenges when it comes to my writing. I know I've done plenty of complaining along the way too, but I got it out of my system and kept pressing forward, which I'm very happy about now. Looking ahead though, I want to work on having a better attitude toward future challenges. Writing is more exciting when you're not complaining about it. And I know lots of challenges await me.

That is my revelation for this week. What writing challenges have you faced and conquered?