Everyone says it's the big, landmark things in life that are important. "Don't sweat the small stuff," they say. But let's face it—that's pretty hard to do. It's those pesky, unavoidable little bumps in your day—a stain you found on your shirt as soon as you got on the bus, the finger you slammed in your locker in your rush to make it to class before the bell, an off-handed remark from a teacher or friend that you've been overanalyzing—that stay on your mind and have you obsessing, putting you in a funk despite your best efforts to forget about them and move on to bigger things. But the great thing is, it works the other way around, too. An unexpected "hi" received in the hallway, an inside joke winked at over lunch with your best friend, or the right answer you gave in history class can leave you smiling the rest of the day.
So why not make some good little things for yourself and translate that to your writing? Making yourself work on something every day—whether that means writing a new chapter, asking for a friend's honest opinion, or even scrapping something that you don't think works anymore…will give you a sense of accomplishment, will keep you from feeling overwhelmed…and soon all those little things will add up to something big.
Then, as you lay in bed at night trying to fall asleep, count that day's writing as one of the good little things that happened that day (that you were fully responsible for!) and watch as the list of good things starts to way outweigh the bad. A landmark indeed!
And those bad little things? You can totally turn them into good things, too. After all, life's most devastating, embarrassing, unforgettable moments make for fantastic stories. Happy writing!
Sarah Cloots
Editorial Assistant, Greenwillow Books
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