Channeling my Inner Yoda

Hello blogger dear ones! 

I recently had a rather humbling knock up the side of the head. A shame-on-you-you-should-be-better-than-that kind of a deal. Which, yeah, no one likes to get. Especially me. 

All the same, I thought I'd pass the wisdom on. Or rather, the pie. Its called Humble. EVERYONE take a slice... its yummy!!

So, the other day, I was listening to a speaker. The topic completely unrelated to writing, I might add. And the wise one, whom I shall fondly refer to as Yoda (for his bald head and fountain of knowledge), said something to the effect of:

"The good fortune of someone else does not take away from your ultimate end success. Don't dwell on what others have. Enjoy the reward YOU have been given." 

Or, to be more authentic...

"Take away from you, the good fortune of others, does not. Dwell on success of others, you should not. Rewards given you, should you enjoy." 

When I heard this I kind of did a double take with a big "Ohhhhhhh!"

Cause, this is what my little writer mind heard:

"Stop being a piss ant because SOMEONE ELSE got published before you. Stop complaining because WORSE WRITERS THAN YOU are published. Stop focusing on the success of SOMEONE ELSE. Instead, focus on YOURSELF, dummy!"

Because, I'm not the ONLY one who does that, right? Secretly think bad thoughts about other people who get published. ESPECIALLY the ones whose books I think are TERRIBLE?

Okay, not all the time... 

But sometimes? 

Well maybe I AM the only one ( ;

ARE there completely terrible writers out there? Sure. 

Ones that seem to have success coming out their hide quarters, DESPITE said terrible-ness? Absolutely.

I won't pretend to know how this phenomenon happens. If I did? I'd be published already. 

But, like my wise, Yoda speaker so eloquently pointed out... what the H-E-double you-know-what does that have to do with ME? With MY success as a writer? With MY own pitfalls? MY shortcomings? MY irritating writing quirks that are holding ME back?

I shall tell you Young Skywalker...

NOTHING. 

I like to complain about them, those writers who I have deemed far inferior to me. I like to throw my hands in the air. Pull out my hair. Kick a tree. And stomp my foot, when I see them with with success  that should--OBVIOUSLY--be mine. 

Cause, guys, I'm the goddess of all things writing, okay?!

But in reality, shouldn't I just be HAPPY for them? They've DONE IT! They're published... and THAT'S AWESOME!! Regardless if I don't like their taste. Hate their prose. Think their story is completely unoriginally. Or think they only got published because their daddy knows so-and-so...

THEY HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH MY SUCCESS!

I need to be better at this, dear writers. I need to be excited for those who have made it to the proverbial writer's paradise: publication. And not worry that somehow THEIR success is keeping ME back. 

Because its not. 

That's no one but me.

Mmmmm... wasn't that pie good? 

And since I can't say it any better than the Wise One, himself....