I don't remember where I came across the idea. I have a vague sense it was in the book LEARNED OPTIMISM by Martin Seligman (worth reading in any event.) But wherever it was, this idea I now think of as NERVE IN THE CURVE.
It seems some study showed that the race drivers who won races were most often the ones who didn't slow down on the curves.
The way I translate that for myself as a writer is: don't back off from my strategy at times when things have gotten difficult. Just ride through those tough periods full steam, focused on what's up ahead, doing what I planned and giving that plan a full chance.
EXAMPLE: going ahead full-tilt finishing my novel SISTER INDIA though it took three months longer than I'd planned and put me into my line-of-credit (in debt) for a while. I did sell the novel, and I did come out okay with the bank.
There's always a point in a project when I start getting nervous about whether I should be putting as much time or money into it as I first planned. My knee-jerk impulse is to slow down. Sometimes it might be the right thing to do. Or it might be like slowing down the boat when you're pulling a water skier. The skier sinks. Withdrawing fuel from a project at a crucial moment can make that project sink.
So when things get a little scary, I remind myself: nerve in the curve, Peggy. It might make sense to back off, but it doesn't make sense to get wobbly just because I'm running into the predictable delays and risks and difficulties. It doesn't make sense to slow out of a reflexive fear.
I hope these mixed sports metaphors make sense. Tell me if I didn't quite get it across.
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7 comments:
It came across perfectly. :) And very much in the nick of time over here; I hit a bit of curve last night and need a good dose of nerve today!
Just spent 5 days revising my second book, getting ready to send it to agent, who read it back in the summer and felt it needed some work in the "second act." I've gone through it several times since, and this was the layer of editing where I knew big changes were coming. It went wonderfully - I never got bogged down, seemed like I was in the zone with it.
So, last night, I was home and ready to print out the last 50 pages to read to my writing partner tomorrow night. Suddenly, in glancing at a few lines as I set it up to print, I panicked.
Is this even ready? Did I fix the problem? Is it too much like my first book? For that matter, is my current book-in-progress too much like my first book? Etc. Etc.
I had planned to let it sit a week, read the last 50 pages and get feedback, and then go over it one quick time before sending it off right after T'giving.
But you're right on target - the absolutely worst plan of action would be to stall out completely. I need to keep gunning it.
Just what I needed - thanks - with 29 poems submitted and a new blog with little traffic.
Hi Billie and J.B., Thanks for your in-the-curve companionship. I realized last night that what I didn't say in that post is that I'm in the curve once again myself. There seems to come a curve experience with every book or major project. I'm glad to have y'all roaring along beside me.
Thanks for coming to my blog and posting, and thanks for helping me not flinch around the curve. Good luck!
actually, slowing down by hitting the brakes traveling @ high speed in a curve is quite likely to result in a horrifying & dangerous spinout--driving or writing or in any strong flow experience, like going thru Hell, keep the pedal to the metal!
I didn't know that. It's counterintuitive. But then as a skier I always had trouble believing that the best way to balance and stay safe was by leaning down the mountain.
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