As I mentioned yesterday, unless you’re living under a rock, you know the Olympics are going on right now in Beijing, China.  I’ve watched the Olympics for as long as I can remember. (Insert memory joke here)  As a child, I was always amazed by those who competed and wondered what that must be like.  Since there was nothing I did that would have put me on that path, those were bittersweet thoughts.

Then when I was the age that many Olympians are, I remember thinking that I hadn’t accomplished enough in life because these people were traveling the world, winning medals or just competing on that level and I could barely get to school or work on time.  Now I can watch the games, enjoy all the human interest stories, and understand the commitment and dedication it takes to reach that level without beating myself up or feeling inferior.

What does this have to do with writing?  Everything.  I’ve only been in pursuit of this publishing dream for less than two years.  In fact, I probably only admitted to myself just last year that I really do want to be published.  The birth of this dream happened when I met a group of talented women on the Eloisa James (then sans Julia Quinn) Bulletin Board and a bunch of us took part in the Avon Fanlit contest back in 2006.  Some of those women have gone on to finish multiple manuscripts, final in and win contests, and even sell their first books. 

In comparing my progress to these women, again it’s as if I’m watching those Olympians achieve their dreams while I sit idly by on my couch.  But this time I know it can be different.  Fortunately, there is no dream age for achieving that published status.  The only person who can shut me out of this game is me.

Publishing is my Olympics.  I’ve started my training by attending workshops and conferences.  Taken courses and received feedback from others that can only serve to make me better.  But this is only the beginning.  There is a huge amount of work ahead of me. 

When did you take up the dream of publishing?  Are you early in your training or are you a veteran in the field?  Have you given yourself a deadline to reach your goal or are you content to keep at it for as long as it takes?  In writing or anything in life, what dreams have you chased and how did it feel when you reached your goal?