Friday, October 3, 2008

The Waiting


On Monday, Brenda blogged about a story starter using song lyrics. Her post said to find a song that sums up what you think it means to be a writer and post the lyrics on your blog and why you've chosen it. It doesn't have to be your favourite song. It just has to express how you feel about writing and/or being a writer. It can be literal, metaphorical, about a particular form or aspect of writing -- whatever you want. It took me a few days, but I finally decided on "The Waiting" by Tom Petty. To watch the video clip of Tom Petty singing this song, click here.

This song sums up what it's like being a writer for me. Well, at least most of the lyrics. We all know how frustrating writing can be with the long waits. If it's not waiting to get your manuscript just right, then it's waiting to hear back from a publisher or agent. There is another type of waiting and that's where I am with my first picture book, A New Job for Dilly. I'm waiting for the illustrator to finish the pictures. I'm waiting for my story to be an actual book someday. I'm waiting to be able to share this story with family, friends and anyone who's willing to pick it up and look at it. There are different types of waiting and not all waiting is a bad thing. So, if I had to pick song lyrics, "The Waiting" sums up the writing process for me ...

  • The waiting is the hardest part

  • Every day you see one more card

  • You take it on faith, you take it to the heart

  • The waiting is the hardest part

7 comments:

  1. ohhhhh! That's perfect. I think I can add that song to my list too!

    Christy

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  2. Great choice! Anyone can relate to that one.

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  3. I love it! So true.

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  4. I love that song!
    I sing, "Wait" by White Lion to the kids whenever I want them to wait. (Now they sing it...) But I will add this to my "waiting" songs.
    And it is true about the submission process, the waiting is the hardest part!

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  5. rena...good song...and it is so true, that waiting is what we seem to do most as writers...

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  6. Thanks everyone -- :)

    Kelly -- Do you have lists of songs that you arrange in themes? I noticed you said you'd add this song to your list of "waiting" songs. I love making playlists on my iPod with themes. I have one that's really long with songs that have "blue" in the name. I have another that's all about "rain" or "dogs" and stuff like that. My "pirate" playlist is my favourite. I also collect different versions of the same song. I have nearly 30 versions of "Carol of the Bells", around 20 versions of "Hound Dog" and a pretty big list of "Chattanooga Choo Choo" songs. I love listening to the same song over & over when it's done differently each time.

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  7. Ha! Actually, no, I don't have a playlist of themes (but great idea), I meant a list in my head of waiting songs to sing to my kids instead of nagging to them! (my daughter is a lollygagger, we are always waiting for her!)
    You have a much larger selection of songs on your Ipod...That is so cool that you have so many versions of the same song...I'm going to look into that!

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