If you want to become a writer because you want fame and fortune; because you want the adulation of the public at large; because you want to see your name on the New York Times Bestselling List…then you’re in the wrong profession. Very few authors earn enough to actually make a living writing fiction.
Writing is a lonely life. In order to write, you must be somewhat distanced from the rest of humanity. Don’t believe me? Ask my kids. When I’m busy writing, I push them away. I tell them to keep quiet. I make them do all the cooking, and I eat in front of my computer…one bite at a time as I type, and it’s usually cold long before I finish. When the rough draft is pouring through my brain and out of my fingers, I know I have to sit at the computer and let it pour, no matter what else I could, or should, or want to be doing. I tell my whole family to go away and leave me alone. I carefully and patiently explain that I’m writing, and am not to be disturbed unless the house is on fire. Maybe not so patiently as I should.
Nothing bugs me more than being interrupted right in the middle of that one paragraph which is so important to the novel, because I know when I come back to it, the thoughts which were spinning in my brain will be gone, and once gone they cannot be recovered.
When my friends know I’m working on a new book, they always ask how it’s coming and what it’s about. They expect I can outline the story and pique their interest without giving away any spoilers. I always answer with a vague, “It’s coming along fine,” and I never, never, ever tell them one thing it’s about.
This disappoints them; some get hurt feelings, thinking I don’t trust them not to steal my story. That’s not it at all. I’ve learned through long experience a novel is a story to be told. If I tell it, then it’s told and I find myself entirely unable to write it. Therefore, I can’t tell anyone my story before the first draft is down on paper because it will be gone forever. I can’t even tell the story to my partner, although we’ve discovered ways to discuss certain points in the plot without losing the story, which is a good thing.
Having a partner doesn’t help with the loneliness of the avocation of writing; we both can sit in the same room, typing like crazy, working on different projects, and go hours without speaking. Neither one of us is willing to interrupt the other and annihilate what they’re working on just to get help on what we’re doing.
Having said all that, let me tell you why you should become a writer.
If you have stories which buzz around your brain demanding to be written; if the characters drive you to distraction until you tell their stories, or if you love to entertain people, especially children, with people from the worlds you imagine, then you should become a writer.
Being a writer, and being a published writer are two different things, and they should not be confused with each other. We discuss publishing in another lesson.
Your assignment for this lesson: Write down at least five reasons you want to become a writer. Keep the list handy, so you can read it over again and remind yourself of the reasons later.