You know what? Writers are crazy.
Who else would spend seven percent of their income going to conferences and entering contests, not to mention every hour that’s begged, borrowed, or stolen just so they can do what drives them absolutely bonkers in the first place.
Yeah. I did taxes this weekend and tallied up the amount I spent on writing-related stuff last year. It’s CRAZY I tell you.
That’s why the maniacal laughter whenever anyone ~ always someone who isn’t a writer ~ says that they’re going to write the next Harry Potter or the next Dan Brown. The reality is, if you want to be published you have to spend a lot of time and money, and if you don’t have the money, you have to spend even more of your time.
Ah, but obsessions are on a different reality plain altogether. This is why teachers of writing advise their students to try to be a doctor, a lawyer, the counter guy at McDonald’s ~ anything but a writer. You have to HAVE TO do it. It must be its own reward.
It’s kind of like ranching or farming in that way. Consistently, a negative profit margin.
What I’m Reading Today: I just got my copy of Allison Amend’s Stations West. Ooooh, it’s starting out so good! It’s been billed as a Jewish cowboy novel, but I think I’d label it as a Jewish pioneer novel, at least so far. Oh, but you have to go buy a copy right now!
PS I received a rejection on a full of the novel and a request for a full on the novel! But on balance I’m way ahead because I expect to get rejected but a request puts me over the moon.
2 comments:
My 2009 output came to almost 10% of my income. I like it -- my tithe to the goddess of writing. AND it's tax-deductible!
That's a very good way to look at it!
I'm not sure my significant other is quite as excited to tithe my muse, however. But he is pretty excited to keep me sane!
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