This post by L.Leander, Author of Fearless Fiction
Small Victories by author Ann Lamont is one of my favorite books. She is an inspirational writer and one can learn a lot by reading her works.
I think as a writer I always look at the big picture and am devastated when things don’t go my way. It is easy to want to give up and quit, just because things don’t go as expected.
But wait – what about the small victories? Ms. Lamont reminds us that the road can be 
long and bumpy, but if we take it step by step and give thanks for each victory, either big or small, we will reach the finish line.
Sometimes I think I’ll never get done with a project and it gets frustrating and annoying, often to the point where I set it down and let it rest for a while. But do I stop to give thanks for the small victories I receive every day? Sometimes it’s easy to forget.
It may be a pat on the back from someone you admire, it may be finishing a sentence or chapter, it may be meeting with a fellow writer to discuss your book, or it may be a bit of research you have been waiting for that suddenly drops in your lap.
It’s easy to get frustrated as we write and it doesn’t seem to be working well, but when you do stop to take time for the small victories, you’ll find yourself a much better writer and in a much better frame of mind.
Even if you need to take a break and come back to your writing refreshed, it’s a small victory.
At night I write down all the things that made me happy during the day, including small victories. It is good fodder for sleep as I give thanks for what has been given to me, even when I have been frustrated and am ready to give up.
Have you read Small Victories by Anne Lamont? If not, I strongly suggest that you do. It’ll make you feel different as you go through your everyday work and writing and will make you thankful for all the small victories that occur in a day.
Is this a new concept to you? Does it sound like one you’d be interested in? Let me know in the comments!
Books by L.Leander:
Inzared Queen of the Elephant Riders Video Trailer
Inzared, Queen of the Elephant Riders
Inzared, The Fortune Teller Video Trailer
Inzared, The Fortune Teller (Book Two)
13 Extreme Tips to Self Publishing
13 Extreme Tips to Marketing an Ebook
You can also find L.Leander here:
Writing Wranglers and Warriors 
Yes, little victories are good to take in. Every breath, drinking clean water, not falling down a flight of stairs. We often have more positive moments than we realize and take for granted. I haven’t read Anne Lamont. I lived in the Bay Area when Bird by Bird was talked about and she was a on the radio a lot. Perhaps I should give her a try.
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I think sometimes the world is so overwhelming we forget to take it step by step and give thanks for those small things, Travis. I’ve read all of Ann Lamont’s books and she has a new one either out or coming out. I like her look at life and the way she expresses herself. I’d love to hear her speak some day. Thank you for the comment
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A very good point. As my next post talks about pockets of joy, small victories are also present to boost us on our bumpy road to a goal. And as Travis says, sometimes we have to purposely note them. I think sometimes we negate them with comments or in our head. Let’s write them down to remind us that they happened!
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Our posts had a lot in common, Neva, and isn’t it wonderful to experience Small Victories of Pockets of Joy that are unexpected? You’re right about the road being bumpy and sometimes almost to hard to navigate, but then we get a blessing and things get easier.
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Linda, In my book, it’s the only way to make it through life. It also slows you down so you see so much more. That is a good thing. Doris
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Amen! If we don’t take time to stop and smell the roses someday it’ll be too late and we’ll have little to show for our efforts.
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Makes me think of the late Leo Buscaglia. I very much admired the man and his philosophy. He passed away in 1998.
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I’m sorry, Mike, I’m not familiar with him but it sounds like he had a great philosophy. Now I’ll need to Google him so I’ll know who he is. Thanks for commenting.
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I like your idea of writing down small victories at night. Months ago I bought a small journal I’ve not used yet. Maybe I’ve been saving it for that purpose.
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It works for me because I have a few minutes to think about my day and what transpired. I like going back through the journal to re-read the Small Victories I’ve had.
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Lovely, inspiring post, Linda — thank you for sharing these thoughts and encouraging us (me)! I will certainly look into this book — small victories are important and they are good to remember. Thank you for this great post!
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Thank you Gayle. I think you would like the book. It definitely made me look at my life differently, learning to be aware of the small happenings of my day that are blessings in disguise.
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I’ve heard of her book Bird by Bird and other writers swear by it. I’ve never read it but you’ve made me intrigued by Small Victories. It’s good advice and something I should pay more attention to as I tend to get discouraged easily. It’s so important to appreciate each small moment when the bigger picture seems so daunting. Great post, Linda!
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Thank you Sarah. I’ve read all of Anne Lamont’s works except the newest one and I’ve found joy in each, but Small Victories somehow said something different that made me think. We all have small victories every single day but often don’t recognize them. After reading her book I’ve been more cognizant of them and of the happiness I feel.
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Lovely thoughts. I think when I get a few things settled I’ll be able to write again, and to paint. Thanks Cher’ley
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I’ve been struggling with the same two things, Cherley. My hope is that 2017 will bring back the joy of writing and working on my art projects. 2016 was hard for me. Good luck!
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2016 has been hard for me too. I heal fast, but I don’t recuperate well. Three surgeries took theirir toll. Do you do Nano in November. I think I will. There I will write as fast and as often as I can. Cher’ley
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I haven’t read that book but I do believe that small victories are good to keep a hold of to put things into perspective. I’ve had to take a step back from my new writing for all sorts of domestic reasons but I’m beginning to feel that my stride might just be coming back. Best of luck in the coming months, Linda!
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Big victories take a lot of work and don’t happen often so savoring the little victories is really important. It’s the little milestones that truly add up and make life worth while. Thanks for sharing.
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