Monday, December 14, 2009

The Ocean and the publishing world.


Has anyone ever asked you what your biggest fear is? I bet they have. Some people say spiders, roaches, the dark...

Mines is the ocean.

I know, I know, what a beautiful thing to be afraid of. The ocean is mystical and wondrous with its silent or crashing waves, unique creatures that live within it, and shiny multi-color sea shells.

See the problem is not the waves or shiny shells, but the creatures who are unique and exotic and so complex that live within the other world so close to ours.

To be specific...sharks.

Ever since I saw Jaws as a young one I have been terrified of the ocean. I mean the idea of Sharks sends me into a frenzy. I have always wanted to over come my fear of sharks and its home the sea, but the moment I step into the water and the translucent blue floats over my feet, the teeth and the massive fish come into mind and I step back onto the sand once again.

I want to overcome this fear, greatly. I want to be able to swim and enjoy the big blue. So I'm taking baby steps in overcoming this fear, because I am not going to allow it to determine what i can or cannot do.

The ocean is so vast it is almost like the world of publishing. It can be exhilarating and inspiring but it can also be terrifying and drowning. Being published is a fear all writers have at least once in some point in time of their career.

Some of us overcome that fear and challenge ourselves by diving in and swimming further into the deep blackness where we cannot see but only feel, others stay on the shore and watch the powerful waves crash and only wonder what is in there.

I do not want to be the one that stays on the shore forever.




I want to dive and swim, learn and grow, overcome my fear and challenge myself.

So as I am taking baby steps in overcoming my fear of the ocean I will continue to write and not allow the publishing world to frighten me.

What about you bloggers? What is your biggest fear? Does it resemble the publishing world? Are you afraid of staying on the shore forever?

16 comments:

Tricia J. O'Brien said...

Gorgeous photographs and a wonderful analogy of staying on the shore. Sometimes it is very scary to send off our writings and face rejection. It's safer on the shore. But we will never publish without getting wet. You are right about that. Thanks for an interesting post.

V. S said...

Your very welcome :)

Mary E Campbell said...

Amazing photos again. I totally get your fear of the ocean. I'm not so terrified that I won't go in it, but the whole time I'm there I'm worried about what might be swimming around me. I don't live near the ocean so I don't have to go near it. Even though I don't like to be in it - I love the ocean. So beautiful and vast and like you said - exotic. My biggest fear is that I'll give up. When things get hard,I do that. I'm praying this time I won't. The publishing world is scary too. I'm so grateful for informative blogs that are showing me the way.

Good luck overcoming your fears.

Jade said...

I grew up on the coast, so the ocean doesn't bother me. Trust me, shark attacks are rare. Do you guys have shark nets at beaches over there?

My greatest fear is being buried alive. Read into that what you will.

Great post.

V. S said...

Mary- I live in Miami so the beach isn't too far form my home. Just keep praying, it always works.

jade- I'm not to sure. That is rather scary being buried alive. Oh, gosh, how horrible!

Kelly Lyman said...

I know what you mean about sharks! I love the ocean and I love swimming in the ocean, but I can't think about sharks. If I do, I quickly make a beeline for the sand. I still can't watch Jaws. As for my biggest fear, at least with writing, it is rejection. The weird thing is, I know I will be rejected. I know that when I send out my query letters, I will be rejected. My fear is that all my submissions will come back as a No. My fear is that this story that I've been working on for over a year really is horrible and nobody who has read it has been truthful enough to tell me- that this is really just a pipe dream. If I only get one "maybe" response, I'll be happy.

V. S said...

Kelly- You definitely will, keep trying, keep believing.

JournoMich said...

I think my biggest fear is similar. It is putting my MS out there. I find other ways of writing to fill my time -- editing or first reading others' works, blogging endlessly, reading books -- anything to keep me from my own WIP. It's avoidance, plain and simple. But you are right, it is a fear!

Damn, you're making me face it!

I love the first picture and your play with color. Found you through Chasing Pavements...Glad I did!

Michele
SouthernCityMysteries

BK Mattingly said...

I'm afraid of not reaching my dreams...and I have so, so many of them. It does two things to me. I either am like a maniac, working to make things happen, or I get down and want to give up, thinking, "there's a reason they call them dreams." Sometimes it's hard for me to find the balance.

Stephanie Thornton said...

I love your pictures today!

My greatest fear is knives. I have issues with being stabbed. Not that I ever have been, although I did try to cut my finger off while working at Subway once. After I passed out I got to go home. Yay!

Katie Ganshert said...

Beautifully put, about not wanting to stay on the shore forever. I have to agree with you on the shark issue. I've been to the ocean several times...and I can't bring myself to go anywhere further than water-to-my-knees and even then, that freaks me out. In high school, I went to Mexico, and my girlfriends would go out super far to have fun in the waves. I would sit on the beach and watch, my heart thumping like a wild woman.

I'm pretty sure that's one of my biggest fears. I blame it on Jaws too. :)

V. S said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
V. S said...

All of your dreams are so honest and real, thank you for sharing. It has made me realize I am not alone in this crazy writing world and I am definitely not the only one with a fear for sharks!

Elana Johnson said...

I'm terrified of dogs. Big, small, whatever. In fact, most animals scare me. They have teeth, you know, and are so unpredictable because they don't know the English language.

So there's that. I'm not sure how it relates to publishing, though...

Ellie Kings said...

The ocean can be profound and perilous. I'm a little afraid of it myself. But it is so beautiful and enticing. I stand at the shore hearing its call. Love this post along with its photos. Victoria, fear is what we make it. We can over power it with the faith of letting go. Go against the waves, my dear. xo

Karilynnlove said...

I'm with you on the fear of sharks!
I managed to go snorkeling this summer. I was in a panic attack for the first ten minutes. Then I calmed down and it was beautiful! That was also in the Bahamas though, so I could see straight to the bottom! I won't go in the ocean around where I live though! I refuse!