Aspiring Professional Writer Support

[M]

I don't know - is sending an email with an attachment to someone, waiting 8-12 weeks and then being told 'no' exciting? Over and over and over again. Or just never hearing back.

I believe in my work - I know it's good. I just also acknowledge the odds stacked against me, the competition I'm facing and the fact that in terms of likelihood, aiming to be a published writer is like aiming to be a successful actor. There are loads of great, massively talented actors who don't get work. When you hear someone wants to be an actor or a singer, you might say encouraging things but you don't really believe they'll be a big success, do you? Because you know the odds. Writing is the same.

When I was where you are - before I'd ever sent it off - I was more like you.

I suppose after a few hits it can be wearing, and I'm guessing this probably sounds like very naive optimism, which doesn't help, but isn't any kind of creative endeavor both overwhelmingly difficult but ultimately self-fulfilling? I mean, if you are an actor, you'll likely work forever in crap jobs to make the bills, but you do so because if you didn't, you would feel stifled. You write because you have to, not because you are assured of getting published, or becoming the next great novelist of our time, but because if you didn't, you would be creatively frustrated. Of course it would be great to actually get paid for something you do well, and being appreciated for your talents is always great, but isn't just the very fact you are to the point of slugging it out for a chance to be published a good thing?

I spent the last decade and a half working jobs I can't stand without the benefit of satisfying that need to write. Now that I'm finally committing to finishing something, I do think it's exciting, whether or not I ever get published. At least I'm finally getting that outlet. It's better than smashing my phone from having ideas bouncing around in my head and not being able to get to a notebook or computer to write them down. Ever since I've been writing again, I notice that I'm sleeping better too, and I'm much pleasanter to be around. Never mind if anyone else thinks so, I'm just happy doing it.

 

[gwenogjones]

Oh yes - the writing's fun ... you do it because you enjoy it otherwise there's no point. But you're not really a 'writer' if it's just a hobby. Without being published writing is no different from knitting, or fell running or tinkering in your garden shed. You do it because it brings you joy - but you don't need a support thread for that. If the end point is to get published then, once you're finished, you have to get on stuck into the soul destroying slog. You can of course file it away on your computer and start a new story and never think about the old one again if all you want to do is write for the fun of it - but if you have ambitions to be published then, once you finish the book, you're embarking on a business venture and that isn't about creative satisfaction - it's about business and that bit isn't enjoyable and nor is supposed to be.

Writing a book is the easy part.

 

[M]

Oh yes - the writing's fun ... you do it because you enjoy it otherwise there's no point. But you're not really a 'writer' if it's just a hobby. Without being published writing is no different from knitting, or fell running or tinkering in your garden shed. You do it because it brings you joy - but you don't need a support thread for that. If the end point is to get published then, once you're finished, you have to get on stuck into the soul destroying slog. You can of course file it away on your computer and start a new story and never think about the old one again if all you want to do is write for the fun of it - but if you have ambitions to be published then, once you finish the book, you're embarking on a business venture and that isn't about creative satisfaction - it's about business and that bit isn't enjoyable and nor is supposed to be.

Writing a book is the easy part.

Do you have a schedule for your slogging? I wouldn't have thrown the pep talk your way, except you gave the impression of someone ready to give up. Surely, if you agree with the above, then now is the time to go into machine mode and just robotically submit to as many agents as you can.