Writing II
Something keeps a million "I could be a writer" folks from becoming. I'm one of them. What is that thing?
Esereth left this comment to my last post...and it's a really good question. Is it fear? Lack of time? Market competitiveness? Should the market have anything to do with it? Should we write for the sake of writing? Because we feel compelled to write? Because writing gives us a sense of joy and satisfaction?
What stops me? What stops us?
posted by Lucia @ 10:52 AM
9 Comments:
In my case, it's a combination of laziness and fear. I MIGHT be able to actually write a book, but to get an editor (to fix all the punctuation errors) and to market it.....
Too much work.
The fear comes in with, do i really have anything to say that is in any way interesting to anyone else?
I think having a blog is a great way to do some writing, just for the joy of it, all while avoiding the realities of book writing and publishing.
Fear and pessimism. The fear part sometimes feels a little like getting a tatoo on your ass in the middle of shopping mall two days before Christmas. The pessimism piece is a defense mechanism that makes it easier to accept failure before I try and am actually rejected.
I think these difficulties are the source of the proliferate market of writing exercise books and seminars. In the end, for me, I'd say its all about self-discipline.
I think there is also another element, which is present with just about everything you "could" do in life: How badly do you want it? Can you live without it? Can you be reasonably happy without it? I think for many people, unless it is a major "need" or desire in life to do that thing, and unless you are unhappy or
"tortured" when you are not doing it, it often doesn't get done.
What stops me at this point is lack of time (and peace and quiet). Next level is confidence - why bother when no one will want to read it? (Even though I did write a column for a small newsletter for a while and many of my readers commented that they enjoyed my writing and would love to see more. My husband is encouraging me now, but I think that's mostly because it's something I can do (a) without needing a new wardrobe and (b) going back to college for yet another degree). I've never made it to the next level - market competition. But, yeah, that's one thing that blogs are good for, right? Honing your talent.
Sure, people like us write plenty for the joy of writing; that is what these blogs are. But they are a world apart from being a real "writer," at least in my head.
Laziness keeps me like I am. Well, and I have a hard time writing stuff without an assignment to focus on.
The "how bad do you want it" issue is important.
You know what used to stop me? My boss. haha no. sorry.
really though it was a pure and utter lack of PASSION! i had pipe dream tattooed on my forehead for a very long time.
i just finished the first draft of my first novel. Once i finished it, i said to myself "well hell, i got this far might as well not puss out now." and there ya go. passion. or falsified passion.
Lack Of Passion, Lack of Ideas, Laziness, other Priorities; they all mean one thing...
EXCUSES. you wanna be a real writer? then stop whining and do it. it sounds harsh but i had to tell myself that every day and i still may not make it with the whole industry cat fight going on right now. Doesn't mean i wont try my damendest.
Hmmm...laziness, fear, pessimism, too much work, maybe not having something worthwhile to say, lack of passion, lack of ideas, lack of self disclipline, how bad we want it, not enough time...that sounds like enough excuses to last me a lifetime!
Back in the day, the Editorial Assistant would try to carve out time to write each day. But I wanted to see him. I wanted to drink wine at his apartment, then have amazing sex that would have us tumbling off the bed, knock the bedside table over and smash the wineglasses to the floor...
That's what kept him from writing.
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