Monday, August 22, 2011

Determination Pays Off


I recently saw The Help in the movie theatre and I have to tell you, it both touched and inspired me.

For me, the film was about standing up for what you believe in (even if it puts you at personal risk), coping when you’re stuck in a bad situation, and the power of friendship. With stellar performances and an excellent script, this movie made my list of top ten movies of 2011. I didn’t read the book, but was told the movie was very similar to the novel, which made the bestseller list.

What also impressed me was how the author, Kathryn Stockett, went about optioning the film. She chose to go with a childhood friend to adapt the screenplay and direct, as opposed to a big name screenwriter/director. This complicates things when trying to get funding for a film, but she held firm. Why? Because her friend, Tate Taylor, shared the passion of her story, having also grown up in the South.

A very determined woman, Kathryn received a total of 60 rejections for the book. Yes, 60. But did she give up? Not on your life. And on the 61st submission an agent offered representation. Can you imagine if she would have given up at rejection 15, or 40 or even 60? This supports my philosophy that the only guarantee when trying to get your work published is that if you stop trying, you certainly won’t get published.

Stories like these inspire me. They remind me that anything’s possible when chasing your dream.

Who else has an inspirational story to share?

Peace,

Hopewhiteauthor.com

4 comments:

Blythe Gifford said...

Needed that inspiration this morning! I've got a project that is gathering rejections, but I'm a long way from 60. Guess I'd better keep going!

Debby Giusti said...

THE HELP ranks as one of my all-time favorite reads!

IMHO, for writers, every book presents a challenge. Often we share deeply. Exposing our inner thoughts to the world takes courage, just as Katheryn Stockett wrote about in THE HELP.

I hope to see the movie soon.

Hope White said...

Blythe -- Glad you found inspiration about your project. Whenever I'm about to give up I think, "Quitting is Not an Option." Once I accept that fact, I keep skipping merrily (or not so merrily ) along.

Debby -- I hope you LOVE the the movie as much as I did. I'll be curious to hear your thoughts on the quality of the adaptation. That book is on the top of my To Read pile.

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