write; be recognized, earn or resent

The title sums up the mindset of some writers - published & unpublished - revealed to me in a blog entry that was advertised on Twitter by Ellen Meister. I think it's by US agent Jenny Bent.

I have to express how much it saddens me to read how it's a given that some writers resent another's success and feel selling a book for "15k" is disappointing. Surely six figure deals are hard to come by. In my view, "15k" is a huge amount of money & a huge success. It should be seen as an incentive to do better if money is a motivation. I understand how the point of writing full time is to earn enough so the day job can go but what's so awful about keeping a full or part time job? Surely it serves as inspiration or motivation?

It just hadn't occurred to me for a while that there are writers out there who are motivated by equal measures of a passion for writing and earning potential. And it absolutely hadn't occurred to me to envy other writers for their success. I have two playwright pals who I feel nothing but ecstacy for whenever they achieve. I don't need a blog by an agent to remind me to be positive. I am positive. Anyone letting themselves get down because of another's success and a lack of recognition is undeserving to me. Write cuz u luv it, and for no other purpose. Don't whine on about how so & so is doing better than you. *shakes head* exhales. Rant over.

p.s. I appreciate how naive I come across in this post but I don't care.

Possessed by It, Obsessed with It

^^that's how I feel about my story/novel. At the start of 08 I left full time employment, pursuing part time to enable me to concentrate wholly on my writing. As I have a tendency to keep myself isolated, I took a job in a busy social environment. Naturally, I made friends, one in particular (now my boyfriend). I'm young, for my career as a writer, time is on my side (so I'm told). After months of grieving and working hard & being alone, I welcomed this new friendship to my life, & that's what it was, friendship. I liked him lots, but never saw in as any more than a friend. I looked forward to working with him & remember staying up at work all Saturday night/morning, only to go and do a car boot sale early Sunday together. Maybe it started then, when we realised we got along well outside of work, just the two of us. I was shocked when Tom kissed me for the first time, but it felt so good (surprisingly) and I kissed him back. I'm very lucky to have him in my life. He gave me an awesome summer - dates on rowing boats where he brought along a picnic, & at the beach where we shared lingering hugs, climbing a cherry tree for me & feeling his tongue suck the cherry juices from my neck. Neither of us wanted anything serious, we took it really slow, but I fell in love with him. I knew I loved him as a friend, as a person, as a human being, so I was uncertain about taking us to another level for fear of losing him. I would rather have him as a friend than not at all.
It was a good idea to go for it though. Tom brought me to life this summer & I'll be eternally grateful for that. I remember feeling my heart swelling with love for him; feels wonderful. So tired was I of the deflated feeling my heart experienced so many times, let down by "friends", family etc.
In October, when my novel wasn't completed, I panicked, listened to my "critical parent" & enquired about a college course, just as a back up, orientated around writing scripts (the only other means of writing I am OK at - although yes, the absolute opposite from novel writing). Starting the course two months in, I had missed a lot. Then I was sick as I've mentioned in "Update", & my writing took over. I tried writing with pen & paper & found myself flourishing. This is clearly the method for me. Sitting at my laptop to write just paralyses me with fear & my sentences are awkward and difficult. Writing as a I did as a child, laid out on the carpet, just works for me. Plus, when I come to copy it onto the laptop every few pages, it's a kind of draft, instead of just rambling forever on Word only to delete it all later because I haven't stopped to read it over. ANYWAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!
My writing was on fire & I was doing it every single night & loving it. I felt like I was finding my voice, I am in love with characters, tweaked the storyline/subplots, added a very important character I had neglected & found myself thinking about them all a massive amount of each day. BAM! Work load at college kicks in, not a lot of writing, lots of practical, but after eight-ish hours writing up college stuff, I felt dissatisfied & thought "that's eight hours I coulda spent writing my novel...SHIT". Two nights not writing physically hurt. It upset me and put me in a bad mood. I feel possessed by my writing and I am obsessed with this novel & set of characters and their story. I love it with all my heart. So, after a month of study, which I'm glad for, it might be time to defer til next Sep, as was the original plan back early on in 08, and give myself chance to actually write & finish this thing ! Yeah! As my mentor (a published author better known in the US of A) recently told me "Decide for yourself, for you, no matter how crazy it might seem to those around you." God love him lol xx

Being a writer

If you have talent, god-given or not, a natural talent for something, do you make a living out of it or keep it as a hobby?

NOTE: a natural talent is something you excel at naturally, not something you have to try hard at in order to excel. You may work hard at your talent, but it's enjoyable, not a chore.

A student law tutor once asked my class this: "is it fair to work all your life at school, university, & get a highly paid job, when someone who succeeds in making their hobby their career, can earn more than you in a life time?"

If you chose to make your dream your career, what led you to do this?

It's one thing to WANT to be a poet/singer/designer/sporting success/DJ, etc, but it's another thing to actually give up the 9 to 5 and DO it, day in, day out. Making your hobby your career means doing a low-paid part time job & having the motivation & discipline to actually DO your hobby for so many hours every day, finish a project & submit to the higher forces.

Dear god, is it worth it?

I'm doing it now & it sure as heck is worth it. But writing this blog means procrastinating so I'm off to get on with my book!!!!! Good luck :-)