Comments on: You’re Too Good to Quit

By: Divine Nobody

Divine Nobody — Fri, 16 Jan 2015 13:52:00 +0000

Rachelle, grateful for this…more than I can express. I’ve recently made the choice to keep writing, even as an anonymous nobody, because I’m convinced God smiles when I create my art. Thanks for the encouragement.

By: Bobbi

Bobbi — Sat, 03 Jan 2015 00:22:00 +0000

Truer advice was never written than – “You only fail if you stop writing”.

By: Cheryl Barker

Cheryl Barker — Thu, 23 Jan 2014 15:17:00 +0000

In reply to Donna Keevers Driver. Aww, Donna, thanks for sharing that. What a blessing to hear!

By: Donna Keevers Driver

Donna Keevers Driver — Thu, 23 Jan 2014 00:01:00 +0000

In reply to Cheryl Barker. I'm with you, Cheryl. And your reason for not giving up just encouraged me to keep going. Thank you. :)

By: janell2rardon

janell2rardon — Tue, 21 Jan 2014 17:04:00 +0000

Thank you, Rachelle, for this. It couldn’t have come at a better time. When I think of quitting, it brings to mind the word miscarriage. At the core of this word is miscarry — meaning, “to fail to achieve the intended purpose; to go wrong.” As a woman, I miscarried a baby in 1987, and then three years later, had twins. The experience led me to an even deeper understanding of God’s timing and sovereign purpose. The essence of that “miscarriage pain” remains with me, yet points me to rest and submit to God’s perfect plan and purpose for my life and my work. It does lead me to the “peace of mind” that James Scott Bell refers to in John Wooden’s quote.

All that being said, as an author, I’ve definitely wanted to quit. The past three years have held countless rejections. Even on a good day, rejection hurts. The doubts have taken my mind on a roller coaster ride. Like your daughter, I’ve thought, “Why keep investing when the returns aren’t evident?” I have longed to hear, “You are too good to quit. I need you on my team.” But, first, I had to come to a crisis of calling where I said that to myself. I needed a rebirth of belief. Finally, I did hear a still small whisper from a loving heavenly Father, the best of all coaches (smile), say, “You are too good to quit. I need you on my team.”

I’m not quitting. I will continue to move through miscarriages of my books with God’s grace. I know the time will come when I hold my second book in my hands. Until then, I will get back to the basics, have fun, and steadily improve my craft.

Thanks so much!

By: Khara House

Khara House — Tue, 21 Jan 2014 04:04:00 +0000

As a writer, I often feel like quitting; I get rejection slips or don’t feel particularly inspired, and so I feel like maybe I should give up “this writing thing” and focus on something else. Usually it’s because I feel like a failure with my writing. So I jotted down this reminder for myself a few years ago: “Your WRITING will fail, and fail, and fail. But YOU’RE only a ‘FAILURE’ if you STOP WRITING.”

By: J. T O D D S C O T T | Official Site of J. Todd Scott » If Wishes Were…

Mon, 20 Jan 2014 19:09:37 +0000

[…] other day on Rachelle Gardner’s blog (which you should probably be reading anyway), titled: You’re Too Good To Quit, as well as many of the guest comments. This thing we do: trying to write, trying to craft, trying […]

By: Krmission

Krmission — Mon, 20 Jan 2014 18:19:00 +0000

I loved this blog! I feel the same with writing a book. I have often wanted to quit writing the book I’m working on, especially after my first book got so many rejections. I sometimes feel like I won’t make it anyway, but I am determined. I often feel led by the Spirit to finish, that is great encouragement.

By: Susan Anderson

Susan Anderson — Mon, 20 Jan 2014 14:18:00 +0000

I like how you approach this, Rachelle. Writing, swimming, gymnastics, etc. Whatever the endeavor, realistic goals are a must. I get discouraged about writing, feeling like I’ll never master the craft. But then I get compliments and I enjoy the process of pen in hand so much, that it helps me see this thing more clearly, more beautiful in its scary real way. Like publishing an essay in an obscure literary journal is a good start, and then I can forge onto the next step.
As an old competitive swimmer with kids now swimming, I see it in the sport as well. Swimming is, in my opinion, the only (if not very few) sports in which anyone can benefit from it. You could be missing a limb and still swim. Have Down Syndrome and still swim. You could be totally ill at ease in the midst of a ball field, but because you get to stare at a black line on the bottom of the pool, your confidence grows with every private, muscle building stroke. And look at Michael Phelps. From what I’ve heard, he had some real academic and social issues as a kid. I think the important thing here is that we are loved. Loved enough and cared enough by someone who matters to tell us, “You are too good to quit.” Swimming, writing, gymnastics, higher education, whatever the goal, we need that boost. Thank you for this post.

By: Anne Borrowdale

Anne Borrowdale — Mon, 20 Jan 2014 12:38:00 +0000

Wow what a great website! I’ve only just discovered it, brought here by the headline “You’re too good to quit”. A lot of wise words in the comment section, too – I can see I’m going to spend a lot of time here!

One thing that’s helped me is Carol Dweck’s work on Mindset. She talks about the fixed mindset, which thinks performance is all “about the outcome. If you fail – or if you’re not the best – it’s all been wasted.” And the growth mindset which “allows people to value what they’re doing regardless of the outcome”, because everything is seen as a learning experience rather than a judgement on us personally.
She helped me understand why any setback makes me feel like giving up. Now, rather than focus on how imperfect I was, I try to focus on: “What can I do differently so that I do better next time?”

By: Gwyn Qualkinbush Weyant

Gwyn Qualkinbush Weyant — Sun, 19 Jan 2014 23:56:00 +0000

Rachel, Yes in fact I am dealing with this very thing right now. I am told like your daughter, I am too good to quit. But no one is willing to give me feedback on why they won’t take me on as a client and publish anything else of mine. I was published in 12/12 with a short story by Borroughs Publishing House. I am using James Scott Bells new software to try again to bring something that people will want. But it gets very discouraging. (I even sent a sweet Christian Romance into a Sweet Romance publisher and was turned down. I am beginning to doubt my abilities.)

By: Robert Polk

Robert Polk — Sat, 18 Jan 2014 21:36:00 +0000

Excellent analogy and wonderful responses.

By: Joseph Snoe

Joseph Snoe — Sat, 18 Jan 2014 20:08:00 +0000

In reply to sarah eck. Maybe it's past time to bite the financial bullet and hire another editor.

By: Joseph Snoe

Joseph Snoe — Sat, 18 Jan 2014 16:50:00 +0000

This will sound dumb.
My novel is about 90 to 95% complete and I am tempted to stop – not tempted to stop precisely, but losing the willpower to finish. I think it is because of one or two reasons. First, part of what kept me writing was wondering what would happen next. Now I have a good idea how the story finishes so there’s less personal incentive to write that next chapter. Second, and probably more importantly, I keep hearing how hard it is to get a novel published, and if I don’t finish the book I don’t have to face that challenge. (Note: these reasons are for my novel. I’ve published two nonfiction books, including four editions of one book. It’s easy to finish those since I had contracts up front and someone was relying on me to finish the manuscript and I felt obligated to get it done on time and done right)
I’m going to fight that urge to quit right now and go to my little basement desk and figure out how to kill somebody (A fictional somebody not a real somebody)