Monday, July 25, 2011

Zucchinis and Writing

The other day I snooped around our garden and found two enormous zucchinis. I wasn't expecting them. Sure, blossoms had appeared for a week or two, but I didn't think they would grow so big, so quickly.

Writing can be similar. One day we decide to write a book, just as we plant the zucchini seed. We water our writing by studying the craft, writing pages regularly, and learning about the publishing industry. At times our progress seems non-existent, or maybe we have a small break-through like the first tender leaves shooting through the earth.

We continue to write, study, learn and the plant grows. Through our careful, sustained work, a crop appears--maybe we've written a few books, articles, or short stories. Rather than pick the small vegetables, we leave them on the vine, allowing them to find their full potential as we utilize critique partners or enter them in contests.

And one day, we realize our writing is ready for submission. We head to the garden and pluck the ripe zucchini.

Some zucchini gets shredded for bread or muffins--an agent or editor represents our work. Some sits on the counter too long next to a large pile of other zucchinis--the dreaded slush pile ending in rejection. And some is given away to neighbors--we make peace with the fact not all of our stories will be published.

How is your writing like a zucchini?

Have a great Monday!

26 comments:

  1. Hmmm, I think my writing is like a zucchini left too long on the vine sometimes. If you neglect it for too long it becomes tough and not very tasty when it is finally picked. Sort of like a story that gets left out there for too long. Too many rewrites, too many edits, too much time has passed and the story is no long young and fresh. :))

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  2. Yep - this made me smile too. I don't know much about zucchinis, other than I really like them fried. Sometimes writing makes me feel fried. So there ya go!

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  3. Loved your analogies, Jill! I just wanna know, does this also work for cucumbers? :)

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  4. Good morning!

    Laura: Oh good! And can I talk you into a few zucchinis? We found half a dozen more yesterday. :(

    Kara: Love it! We rewrite until the whole story is giant seeds and no flesh. :)

    CJ: Thanks! How about a few zucchinis? I'll send them virtually!

    Katie: I LOVE them fried! (And I writing fries me too!) My family is already tired of them and I've only used two.

    Cynthia: Thanks! And yes! Our cucumbers will be out of control in another week!

    Thanks so much for stopping by!

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  5. I blame it on VBS that your post title made me think of Zacchaes (sp.) from the Bible. And the fact I'm operating on little sleep.

    Such a fun post.

    It tastes good. Writing does, when we meet a goal or stick to it.

    ~ Wendy

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  6. It takes some hot sunshine to grow zucchini, and sometimes we have to expose our writing to the bright sunshine of someone else's objective eyes in order for it to grow.

    Fun post!

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  7. How is my writing like a zucchini? Hmm. Had to ponder this.

    Some people like zucchini and some like my hubby don't. Some readers will enjoy my book and some won't.

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  8. I usually have to dig through a lot of vines and prickly leaves and weeds to find my zucchini. Just like I have to dig through a lot of junk to find the good/best words.

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  9. I'm with Wendy. Writing tastes good:)

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  10. If my huge bumper crop of zucchini in our garden is any indication of my writing, then I should be VERY productive! LOL

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  11. Oh, very clever!!

    Wendy: Ha! I laughed when I saw your tweet! Yes, writing tastes good!

    Erica: Good one! I love that--we have to take the heat!

    Keli: Another great analogy. You're right. Some prefer a different veggie!

    Sandra: Yes! I have to throw a lot of weeds out to find my good words!

    Tamika: Yes. Yes, it does. :)

    Melissa: I'm with you! I should have stacks of manuscripts!

    Thanks so much for stopping by!

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  12. Jill:
    Interesting thoughts. Like Zucchini, our writing matures at it's own rate. We can't rush either process.

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  13. Love it, Jill! Ummm...my writing is like zucchini....hmmm...on the days when everything goes down smoothly.

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  14. Like zucchini pie, my writing comes out best when combined with other ingredients (critique partners' comments, contest judges' feedback, revisions 1-100!, etc.). Mixed together, poured into a pan, smoothed out (polished and formatted) and put into the oven to bake (sent out for submission.) And hopefully, consumed by passionate zucchini-lovres (in my case, that would be thriller-lovers!) Fun post.

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  15. Fun analogy, Jill! I was thinking of how much my kids DO NOT like zucchini and how some people won't like my writing either. Then I saw Keli's comment...guess that idea was already taken. :)

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  16. I'm laughing because my family *hates* zucchini but they're very supportive of my writing. Let's see... if I consider my writing efforts as trying to create a recipe that includes enough ingredients to make the dish irresistible to those who might otherwise pass it up, would that stretch the analogy too far?

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  17. Because if you tried to eat a zucchini three years ago and then you go back and eat it again, it won't always be pleasant. LOL!

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  18. Well, if coffee fuels your mornings, you should come here to Rome...nothing like a Roman espresso!:) I found you at my friend oldgeezer and I'm following you all the way from Rome! I love zucchini by the way, I'm just making zucchini risotto in my rice cooker in fact.

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  19. For some reason I can't get the Veggie Tale song out of my head right now.

    Love Katie Ganshert's response above. :)

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  20. Zucchini plants produce LOTS of zucchini. Oh, that I would be as prolific. :)

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  21. Quiet Spirit: Good one! And true!

    Kristina: And on the days it doesn't, we wish for the day it does!

    Patrice: Love it! I'm with you on this one. Zucchini tastes best with extra ingredients!

    Sarah: You can second that motion. :)

    Carol: I don't think it would--in fact, I agree. We have to consider so many variables in our books!

    Rosslyn: Good one! Yeah, 3-year-old zucchini? Not so good. My 3-year-old manuscript? Blech!

    Ciccia: Welcome! All the way from Rome--hooray! My sister used to live in Ferrara and she would be saying Ciao Bella right now. :) If only I could come and share an espresso with you!

    Heather: Ha! My kids used to love Larry and Bob. I kind of miss those songs... :)

    Susan: *sigh* Me too! Wouldn't that be nice?

    Thanks so much for stopping by!

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  22. Well, my writing is green. It's still there. That's all I got on this one.

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  23. Nancy: Ha! Creative--I didn't think of that!

    Thanks so much for stopping by!

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