As a regular visitor of Professor Beej’s blog, his latest post about writers really hit home for me. I don’t usually do this, but I’m going to start by citing an example from a fictitious television show. It’s not without purpose, I promise.
Anybody a fan of The Office? Of course you are, or if not, I highly recommend it.
At the beginning of season 5, Pam spends 12 weeks in New York in order to take graphic design classes and see what New York has to offer for her passion. After 12 weeks, she discovers that she’s failing and has to retake a course, in other words, spending another 3 months away from her fiance. Upon this fateful day, the disappointed Jim leaves work only to discover Pam waiting for him in the parking lot.
“I’m coming back the wrong way,” she says with a wholesome smile.
Despite the sentiment behind the action, my love for Jim and Pam wavered at this crossroad. She chose Jim over New York and a real chance at making it as an artist. Is this the kind of sacrifice the show is advocating?
The sacrifice part is where everyone differs. People, especially artists have to constantly weigh their options. The very nature of juggling finances, careers, family and education means the battle is to keep them all in sync. When they’re not, we often have to choose our luxuries. As a writer, it can mean choosing a menial job to pay bills over dedicating your time with your true passion or, choosing to pursue your dream but having to suffer the backlash of financial obstacles. People will tell you time and again how difficult it is to be a writer. The rejections, the writer’s blocks and the sacrifices we have to make in order to write the thing that could make us a success. The question becomes why? Why should we put ourselves through heartbreak and misery for a probability?
In the Beginning…
Whenever I have my doubts, I go back to the beginning. Sometimes, to figure out the future you have to look at the past. Why did I start writing?
My story–like anyone else’s–is a long one. The bottom line is that I wanted to take a chance. I didn’t want to wonder anymore, and truly, my thought was that writing would make my life better. Happier, more complete. This seems naive in hindsight, but I thought an external factor would make me better, not the other way around.
I look back and realized that despite the many, many tough decisions and the life-changing alterations to my life, I remained in the middle. My life didn’t drastically get better or worse, I just realized it had been here all along and expressed what I saw with words.
The Business Model
Should a writer write so they could be famous or rich? Well, there are certainly successful writers who are rich (J. K. Rowling, now there’s a success story). While these ideas may seem shallow, the alternative is to write because it makes you happy. Here’s an alluring thought…
Over the years of pursuing a career as a writer, the spite, the anger and the jaded persona tend to grow out like vines. Suddenly, you wonder where the happiness has gone. After all, you made a commitment. Where’s the reward? Did you not try hard enough? Are you just not that talented?
No matter how metaphysical writers get, the underlying desire to be happy cannot escape them no matter how much they try to scribble the feelings out. Comparing this to the Hollywood industry or the publishing world is like comparing a warm, red sweater and the washing machine. After so many cycles, it’s hard to remember how red the sweater used to be.
On the other hand, I look at the many showrunners and television writers I admire and I think: there’s no way in hell their life is perfect. I don’t write to be happy, and the reason for writing is different for everyone. If you’re looking for a good mood elevator in the writing field, you’ll be sorely disappointed.
The Equation
So, to Professor Beej and anyone else who might be reading this rambling, I offer my personal, inexperienced perspective. Rather than looking at all the reasons you can’t write, look at all the reasons you do or should write. Compare that to the other thing you’re doing or could be doing. Well? How badly do you want these two things to fit together? Which one do you prefer? The trick is convincing your neurotic brain that the choice you make is OK. No matter how tough, no matter how stressful, I believe there is a way to see that prize that is your overly worded life and not some far-reaching dream is that somebody else’s imperfect journey at the moment.
Hey, it’s what Jim and Pam did.
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Well said…on all counts. I became a writer after years of trying everything else, “going back” and figuring out what made me smile. In the end writing was at the top of the list. To fully understand, read the following: http://www.divinecaroline.com/22277/42166-thank-you–mrs–pigeon
This is a very enlightening article. I’m positive that there are many writers out there who feel the same as Robert but never tuned into it like he has. I, for one, do not consider myself a writer; I see myself as an ‘expressionist’. I write how I feel, what I perceive and what I find might help others in their own pursuit of happiness. This is what makes it fun for me. If I decided to label myself as a ‘writer’ I don’t think I would have even starting writing. The pressure would be too great. Cheers to Robert since he truly is a writer.
I actually have really enjoyed both your article and Prof Beej’s. I think with how much failure there is in the industry it’s best to keep in mind that sure there is the possibility you’ll excel and do well, but it’s unrealistic to do it with just that in mind. If you don’t have a love for what you do, then why the heck would you want to do it?
I agree. The love you start with can get lost in the shuffle of life, but it’s important to remind yourself of the origin of your desire once in a while. Doing it because it’s a job is not the answer.
If I haven’t said it enough, you have been a great inspiration for me, especially in keeping a healthy, optimistic yet realistic perspective on things. You’ve made me appreciate things besides writing that ultimately flows back into my creative energy.
It’s tough to stay positive, but sometimes that’s all you need to be the thing that you want to be
I love this post. And I agree that if your are writing to become rich and famous, that will reflect in your writing. Writing must be what you absolutely love to do and it has to come from the heart. If luck should happen to be on your side and you’ve written something wonderful and you become one of the “rich and famous” because of it. Then so be it. But love what you do, first and foremost.
I couldn’t agree more. Love, in and of itself, is a difficult thing, and many take it for granted. Passion and love takes hard work, so it’s natural to keep the fire going with your love for writing as well.