It's a beautiful Spring day outside. My daughters, my mother, and I are all going church-dress shopping this morning. Before that perennial activity begins, I wanted to mention something about The Lord of the Rings. I know, I know. What is it with me and movies, and further more, didn't I just talk about Tolkien's characters a few posts ago? Sheez, I'm sounding like a broken record.
Anyway, our family has been watching Peter Jackson's LOTR films each night. One of my favorite parts of the first movie is when Sam and Frodo are traveling out of the Shire and Sam suddenly stops. Frodo looks back at him, and Sam says, essentially, that he is as far from home as he has ever been. One more step and he begins his adventure into the unknown.
That scene applies so well to life, and more specifically, to writing.
I have written since I was very young. Yet, it was only four years ago that I decided to write novels. What a journey it has been for me. I would never have guessed, when I began writing seriously, all that I would learn. Could I have foreseen the characters who live in my stories or how they would affect me? I love them now, but a few years ago, I didn't even know I was capable of creating them.
I'm so glad I took that first step into the unknown four years ago. Even though writing messes with my ability to simply read a book and not analyze it. Even with the rejection, the agonizing over imperfections, and the nagging desire to be understood, I would take that step again. Without question.
Life needs adventure and discovery.
Where has writing taken you?
Writing has taken me to places I'll likely never get to in real life. I can go anywhere, meet anyone, have dinner with famous or infamous people. I'm so spoiled now, I'll never go back to the restaurant again.
ReplyDeleteAwwww how lovely!!!
ReplyDeleteWhere has writing taken me? Hmmm. Through hell and back and into paradise, purgatory, eden - into the jaws of disaster, redemption, passion and er... headaches!
Oh and into the arms of Daniel Craig.
Ahem.
All of them worth it. And I'd do this journey again and again.
As for LOTR - I'd watch them over and over again if I could!
Hope you and your family had a great church dress shopping trip!
Take care
x
What a wonderful post! I love LOTR and that scene always makes me smile. Samwise is one of my favorite characters!
ReplyDeleteI know exactly what you mean. I've been writing all my life but only recently decided to work on a novel. I'm so glad I took those steps into a larger world! Now I never want to go back to my Shire!
Thanks for posting!
What a great post. Life needs adventure and discovery. So very true. Thank you for saying that. :)
ReplyDeleteYou wrapped that up so well! I'm looking forward to seeing where this takes me four years from now. :)
ReplyDeleteI love the analogy. That's exactly how it was for me when I began five years ago. Even though I'm not where I'd like to be, I'm farther than I've ever been. Let's hope we keep progressing on our journeys.
ReplyDeleteHave a nice weekend.
That's a really nice post. It made me smile ;-) Most things do though...lol
ReplyDeleteWriting has taken me to the crazy house...and back. I didn't like there. Heehee.
~JD
I LOVE LOTR. I may have to get out Fellowship of the Ring this weekend.
ReplyDeleteThe writing journey has so many blessings. You are right, I too am amazed of all the things I've learned about the craft.
What I love is that it's a never-ending process. You never stop learning. I can't wait to see where my journey takes me next.
I saw the LOTR picture and I said, I've got to read this post! I know the exact mment in the movie that you are talking about. It makes Sam seem so simple and sincere. Great character building. What a journey writing is. I've met so many wonderful people and my characters are so much a part of my life. Great post :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a great comparison! Courage! This is what I need every time I sit down to write.
ReplyDeleteThough I've been writing since I was a kid, my life really changed once I decided to take writing seriously and consider getting published. Writing helped me figure out who I was and what I wanted to be, and it helped me make new friends (in person, online, and in my head -- yes, I count my characters as my friends.) Thanks for this inspiring post!
ReplyDeleteI'm actually watching Fellowship right now - they just arrived in Rivendell. :)
ReplyDeleteI decided to write more seriously about a year ago I guess. I've learned more than I imagined was possible in that time - and I still have such a long way to go. Thankfully the journey is full of joy and not nearly as fraught with danger as Frodo's!
Writing has taken me on the longest and most terrifying journey of all... the inward journey. So glad I'm there. Journey on!
ReplyDeleteWriting has taken me on journeys - internal and external - for the whole of my life. I've delved into the canyons and valleys of my mind, as well as traveled to so many places from the slopes of the Himalayas to the beaches of Florida. I'm so lucky to write!
ReplyDeleteJai
I love the LOTR analogy. Once you've left the shire there's really no going back, and I don't want to!
ReplyDeleteWhat's that old saw, that you can't step in the same river twice? Writing has given me the confidence that I can make a goal (to get published) and attain that goal. It's made me feel a little more grown-up. What's more, it's introduced me to some very cool people that I would have never met if I hadn't begun to pursue publication seriously.
ReplyDeleteGreat analogy! Writing is such a contradiction. It takes me to the brink of insanity, so I stop and then without my writing as an outlet I find out what true insanity, so I go back.
ReplyDeleteGreat post! And thanks for finding my blog! Nice to meet you!
ReplyDeleteOh, I loved that scene too!!! It's so poignant. That story just touches my heart in so many ways, and I often find myself applying it to so many aspects of my life.
ReplyDeleteThank heaven for writing, huh? Such an outlet.
BTW, have I mentioned how much I LOVE the background on your blog. I don't think I ever really stopped to look at it until now. It's beautiful.
*sighs* I love that scene from LOTR! Those few simple words pack a powerful punch:)
ReplyDeleteI've been writing for less than a year, but my writing has already improved so much. I'm also a happier person now because I'm doing what I love.
Hi Roxy!
ReplyDeleteI am a real lazy facebooker/blog checker.This is my first time on your blog I love how you write!! The last post about your first love was like I was right there on the bathroom floor with you. You have to write a book about that. I can relate completely...
I also saw that there was a contest? I would love $50 toward a purple Tori Burch purse (in my dreams!!)
I hope you and your daughter picked a beautiful dress.
Writing's taken me some awfully fun places, but some awfully painful places. It's when it hurts that I know I'm doing something pretty decent.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't trade that for anything.
(Of course, there's the fun stories too, but, y'know, who wants those?)
:)