CL Pauwels at Large

Persistence: firm or obstinate continuance in a course
of action in spite of difficulty or opposition

Another whirlwind week on the writing/campaign journey, and the parallels continue to astound me.

As any writer knows, persistence is key to this life we’ve chosen. Persistence to actually finish a piece, whether it’s a poem, flash fiction, or a novel. Persistence to continue sending out queries when the rejections pile up. Persistence to wade through yet one more round of revisions/rewrites/edits because that’s what the story – or the agent/editor/publisher – demands.

I found the same to be true with this political process. Because I was drafted so late in the season (like a pro sports team!), I had five days to take out petitions and gather the required number of signatures. I had to stay on top of it, to persist, even when it meant introducing myself to still one more stranger, shaking one more hand, smiling one more time.

Sounds like a book signing, doesn’t it?

And then when I actually had enough signatures, and got to the Board of Elections first thing Wednesday morning to file, the doors were locked: two-hour delay in opening because of the four inches of snow we’d gotten overnight.

Similar to the “locked” doors of publishing houses we’ve all tried to breach – another unexpected obstacle to overcome.

But I persisted. I went back during my lunch hour and took care of all the paperwork. And now I wait for official certification: did I follow all the rules? Are all the signatures from valid, registered voters?

Like that submission we keep polishing and refining and tweaking to meet each specific set of guidelines. Did I dot all the “i”s and cross all the “t”s? Are my margins and font choices and word counts all correct?

Then in the midst of the crazy week, my writing world came back around in full force. The final proof of my next novel that I’d been waiting for from the publisher came through (more on BURNED BRIDGES soon, trust me!). Which meant finding making room in my weekend to read (yet again!) all 300+ pages, pull a teaser for the opening page, and gather the cover blurbs before I go back to my day jobs Monday morning.

Persistence.

I have to keep reminding myself: It’s the name of the road.