I’m a hopeful writer. I’ve been working on a novel (Errr…novels) for some time now and I’m moving in on a finished manuscript. Still wondering how to gauge the quality of my own work, considering I tend to fall under the dreaded influence of soul-shattering pessimism regarding anything I write. Whether it be lyrics to musical compositions that I’ve penned or my prose.
Ah, yes, the glamour of writing! In many ways peoples’ view of this profession the result of its depiction in the media. How many TV shows and movies show authors in just such captivating lights? ‘Murder She Wrote’ and ‘Castle’ are two TV series immediately spring to mind and present the (crude but admittedly hilarious) “authors who crap out books” seemingly in their spare time while spending the other bulk of their time doing “fun” stuff like solving crimes and courting supermodels. Obviously, these series were based on my life.
Imagine doing something as stupid to yourself as falling in love with words, and wanting to pursue a life in verse. The struggle is real. The truth is, under-employement really is the new employment. I do have a day job. I feel like “day job” can be seen as a pejorative. Maybe we should call the other stuff our “night job”? IMO, I think the ideal job for a writer would be a job you can leave at the end of the day, and not spend much time thinking about. That isn’t to say your day job shouldn’t matter, or be important to you. It should. But it’s easier to compartmentalize your energy and attention, and re-focus it back on creative expression if you’re not consumed with work stuff after you clock out. In other words, the financial freedom of maintaining a day job grants your imagination the freedom to truly explore your literary ideas.
It’s carving out the time and getting rid of distractions and excuses that are my biggest challenges. Maintaining creativity in the face of outside demands. I assume I am not alone with this. It can be depressing to put effort into something, and watch it flounder. Musically speaking, writing strictly singles or EP’s (extended plays), for me if something doesn’t get hyped up and delivers, it’s a shrug and I know I have another try soon come. I think it was Everlast of House Of Pain fame that said ‘If they don’t like your demo, make a new one tomorrow.’ I mean, Heinlein and Asimov never slacked off on output no matter how many rocketship statues they had. I wouldn’t be surprised if Ursula Le Guin, Larry Niven, and J.K. Rowling write until they’re in the grave.
Now, before you get stifled by the all-consuming terror of ‘this isn’t going to work’ … Some important things to keep in mind: 1. Your work may be better than you think it is. (It may also be worse.) 2. No one should edit their own material, you are essentially blind to certain things that a fresh pair of eyes may catch right away. 3. The crappiest crap manuscript that you actually finish is substantially better than the greatest, platinum-plated idea that doesn’t go anywhere.
‘Prose & The Spoken Word’ is on Feb. 19th at the Main Library in downtown Salt Lake City. Come on down for an evening of peer review and critiquing.
-Dagobot
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