The Story of Ferdinand was written by Munro Leaf and it remains, to this day, a classic. It was written in 1935 on a Sunday afternoon and was published in 1936. Soon the story was selling at a rate of over 3,000 copies every week. It is still in print today and Ferdinand is also the character in a motion picture of the same name. So, what’s it all about? Ferdinand tells the story of a bull who, rather than play with the other bulls, would rather while away the time under his favorite tree. This may be about a bull but there are lessons that every writer can learn from it.

Find a Great Spot to Write

Ferdinand’s favorite place is under a cork tree, it’s where he feels happiest. Every writer must have a place to escape to, a place where they can get in the writing zone and work. It doesn’t matter where it is so long as your mind is free to explore and your creative juices are flowing. Make sure this space is used only for writing.

Remain True to Yourself and Your Craft

Ferdinand did not like fighting and, when some men came to find a strong bull for fighting, he went to his tree and sat down – on a bee. That made him rage around madly and he was chosen! But when they took him to the ring, he just sat there, smelling the flowers. He remained true to his nature. During your writing career, you are going to be faced with conflict. You will be asked to change things; an agent could say you need to change the genre before your manuscript is looked at or you may even be asked to change the ending. If you don’t think these suggestions are right, feel free to keep your work as you wrote it and look for another agent.

You Will Get Stung

Ferdinand couldn’t avoid being stung and neither can you. We don’t submit our work expecting to get a polite rejection so when it happens, it hurts. That is the nature of writing; not everyone likes what you write and you must learn to accept rejections and some bad reviews. Don’t get discouraged; pick yourself up and carry on.

Look for Support

Ferdinand wasn’t the same as the others; he didn’t do the things they did. At first, his mother was concerned but when she saw how happy sitting under the tree made him, she let him be. Writing is lonely. We need more than just a bit of mother’s love; we need a few cheerleaders in our lives. You should also consider writing forums or join up with friends who write to offer support to one another, not just through the bad times, but the good as well.

Stop; Smell Those Flowers

Ferdinand knew how to relax but, while it isn’t practical to spend all day sniffing flowers, we can certainly make time for relaxation, to appreciate what is around us. Writing can be tiring so every now and again you need to stop; you need to allow your mind to clear and to relax. You’ll be raring to go the next time you start work.