I'm a writer, this is what I do
I
was listening to this interesting podcast debating if "aspiring"
should go before "writer" if you weren't published yet. The guest on
the podcast explained that we are all writers, just some are paid and some
aren't. I agree.
That question always comes up around
get-togethers, family functions, etc. "So what do you do?" And unless
you consider your day job to be your career, then you are most likely saying
"writer." To which comes the fun of explaining yourself--or feeling
you need to, anyway.
Most times, you'll get a face with the mouth
pulled down and eyebrows pulled up, "Oh, really? What do you write?" Then
you go on about what you're doing, etc. You might impress them a bit, you might
get a sympathetic face and a, "well, good for you."
In my situation, I say,
"horror."
"Excuse me?"
"H-horror." Cue hand gesticulation
and nervous clearing of the throat. "You know, like Stephen King, or Dean
Koontz?"
Do they know them? Maybe. Sometimes it doesn't
matter. They've already judged you and placed you into a category in their
minds.
"I also work for blah blah blah." You
try to save yourself with your vestige of hope--the day job.
"Ohhh, Okay! Yeah. That's great. Keep it
up...you know, the writing thing."
"Yup."
Sometimes they dig it. Maybe it touches on
something inside them that wanted to follow their dreams at one time and seeing
you go for it gives them hope. Who knows? I just know it's awkward and makes
one feel like a child.
But that's the breaks. Edo van Belkom says it
best on the Horror Writers Association site here
If this isn't for you, then maybe your better
off doing something else. It's what we do. Sure, you can go off and learn
something else, or work day in and day out at the grind, but in the end we won't
be happy.
We create.
Can we loose it? Perhaps it can dull a bit if
we don't keep sharpening the blade; but it's like driving, where you can come
right back to it once you get going again.
The important thing is not to give up. It's
hard. Do you really want it?
Keep writing.
WCM
Comments