So You Want To Be a Writer...

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Writing is glamorous. That's me up above. NOT. It's more like sitting in front of your computer in your socks, slurping coffee and giving life to the voices in your head. Wait - what? Not glamorous you say? Okay, maybe not. If you're just starting out or you've been on the road for a while, but want to nod along, here are some pro's and con's to the job. But don't worry, with each con, I tell you how you ought to handle it.


Pros:

1. Creative freedom. Yep that's number one for me. I finally get to let loose all the craziness tangled up in my head. It's exhilarating most days. 
2. Supportive community. I've never seen one like it. I'm still blown away by the overwhelmingly friendly and supportive attitudes of those all along the path. I've made some of my best friends doing this. You know who you are!
3. Doing what you love. Not everyone gets to explore their passions. We are among the lucky few.
4. BOOKS. Yep, I can read books and claim I'm doing work. It doesn't get better than that!
5. The hours are flexible. I frequently wake up at 3 AM for an hour with my head buzzing about a new idea. But the afternoons are for my kids. It's up to me, as long as I'm motivated to sit down and actually do it, I'm good to go!

Cons:

1. Facing rejection. It hurts, let's face it, even though we can learn from it. To deny that is to let it build up inside. So eat some chocolate (yes that's my answer to just about everything), take a breather, appreciate any specific feedback or personalization that came with it, and use that info to make your writing stronger. 
2. You have to have the patience of Methuselah. This is not a fast business. It takes time to do things right. Time to write the book and revise it. Time to query. Time to sell. Time to publish. Even if you get it right the first time, which is oh SO rare, the whole thing will take years from start to finish. So you have to be prepared for that. Try writing another project while you wait.
3. Dealing with non-writers. Yep. They mean well, they can even be supportive, but you've heard them, right? "When I can I buy your book?" "I wanted to write a book once, but I didn't have the time." or "I should do that too." The truth is, if you don't have the drive inside you, where you know you HAVE to write or you'll wither and die, then you probably shouldn't be doing this. 
4. You suffer more ups and downs than a yo-yo. Sorry, I needed a better simile there. But you get the idea. One minute you're riding high, the next you feel like a fraud. I've felt it, I've heard just about everyone complain at some point about it. But IMHO? Those highs are worth every moment. Besides, lows come with - say it with me - CHOCOLATE.
5. The paycheck. If you're in it for the money, TURN BACK NOW. It's tough to make an actual living at this. Those that do are rare and lucky. I wish we all could, but the reality is otherwise. So write because you love it or go back to med school.