Trial And Error: Inspiration For The Tired Writer

Paper roses.

Have you ever tried to make one?

I tried. I can't remember exactly how long ago, but it wasn't a short amount of time. Maybe two months. I remember tearing up a small piece of paper and rolling it together. As you could imagine, it was the ugliest rose you'd ever seen and looked a little something like a glob of paper that should be used as firestarter.

Two months later, I took a different approach and looked up on Pinterest how to make a paper rose. And, like everything else on Pinterest, I got a vague idea of what I was supposed to do. But it was enough.

My roses were infinitely better, but not perfect.

The first one I made, I gave it too short a stem (which is really only a thin piece of wire) and it was full of empty holes.

The next five I made with a wire so soft that the flowers wilted after a few minutes.

But they were pretty, they were working.

Finally, I found a new wire and started using hot glue instead of Gorilla glue and everything was finally perfect.

They actually worked.

How long did it take for me to make what seems like such a simple thing? Honestly, I've stopped counting the days. I had the idea a very long time ago, I searched up how to make paper roses on Pinterest maybe a week ago. Since then, everything's gotten better.

The point? There is none.

It took a long time to get them perfect. Hours. Days. Weeks.

The idea came a very long time ago.

The product? Well, it's pretty cool, if I'm being honest.

It's the same with writing. It is going to take a very long time. Very few times has a new author been able to snap their fingers and have a beautiful book appear. I mean, I tried that with the rose and I got something that no one will ever see.

What about any other career? I went into this last school year knowing nearly nothing about Physics, and came out--nine months later, mind you--knowing more than ever could have imagined. I know people who have spent years in school learning one certain thing and, yes, they are very good at what they do, but they didn't start with that much knowledge.

Years.

Uni, College, High school, Middle school, Elementary, Preschool.

Time is money, they say.

I have to say I agree because time is so, so valuable.

What you spend your time learning, doing, teaching. It means something to your life.

I had to learn this lesson many times, mostly the hard way. Here's your warning: Be patient. And the result will be more incredible than you could have ever imagined.

The End