“Unlocking My True Potential: How Discovering the Right Genre Transformed Me from a Frustrated Scribbler to a Confident Storyteller”
In a world where we often find ourselves sprinting towards milestones—be it a book deal, a promotion, or a social media follower count—we sometimes forget to ask the most crucial question: What does success really mean to us? If you’ve ever felt the weight of countless rejections, questioning your worth and skills, you’re not alone. Trust me, I’ve been there too! The journey of writing can feel like an endless uphill battle, where each rejection letter feels like a slap in the face and our dreams seem to slip further away. Yet, what if I told you that the key to success isn’t about reaching those pesky milestones, but rather embracing the joy of what you truly love? Sometimes, it takes a moment of radical self-reflection to realize that we might be chasing the wrong goals. Could it be that what truly matters lies in the creative process itself—those late nights spent researching, the thrill of crafting a new narrative, or the sheer joy of learning? As I navigated my own writing odyssey, I discovered that what ignited my passion was not just the destination, but the journey along the way.
Let’s dive into this enlightening exploration of self-discovery and passion, and see how focusing on what truly matters can transform not only your writing but your entire approach to life. Ready to shift gears? LEARN MORE.
Stop chasing milestones, and start focusing on what truly matters
After slogging through hundreds of rejections, something began to change inside me. The novel I had once been so proud of turned into a source of frustration and self-doubt. I was beginning to question everything — the story, the characters, even my own abilities as a writer.
In a desperate attempt to stand out from the slush pile, I put together a website to document the immaculate research that had gone into my novel. If agents knew this was more than just a story, they’d reconsider. But still, nothing.
But one morning, I woke up to find my inbox flooded with questions about my research. Overnight, my obscure website had risen to the #1 result on Google, even surpassing Wikipedia — how was this even possible?
A backlink from CNN.
My first response was to dig up my old manuscript and try once again to get it published. But as I reread it for the first time in months, I suddenly understood why every agent had rejected it. The pacing was off, the characters were flat, and every plot twist took the worst turn possible.
But still, there was something valuable in the research I had accumulated. The hours spent reading, digging through historical archives, and reimagining life in Imperial China had given me a depth of knowledge that not only made people want to read, but left them hungry for more.
I really did have a gift for writing — I had just been writing the wrong thing.
Getting on the write path
I had fallen in love with the idea of becoming a novelist, but the reality wasn’t aligned with who I was or what I even wanted. I had become trapped by a rigid idea of what a successful writer “should” do, following a set formula instead of giving myself permission to explore what truly ignited my passion.
Sometimes, we cling so tightly to one idea of success that we ignore all the signs pointing in a different direction. For me, that sign was my love for research. I didn’t realize it at the time, but the hours I spent piecing together facts and sharing…
