Keep On Truckin'
Today, one of my writer friends told me she was quitting.
"I'm done. I can't deal with the rejection anymore."
This friend is funny, fun, witty and tells one hell of a story. But she's unhappy because she's not getting the sales she wants.
I want to tell you all this broke my heart.
We all have dark nights of the soul. It's this thing called life.
But if one is called to be a storyteller, then you must tell stories.
I'm not sure what to tell my friend. The first thing I want to say is all the rah-rah stuff that we hear in great motivational speeches. "You can do it! Keep on keeping on! Steve Jobs started a multi-billion dollar company that changed the world in his garage!"
But ultimately, if my friend wants to quit, she should throw in the towel because writing is clearly ruining her life. Maybe she can partake in underwater basket weaving or maybe grab some nail polish and paint happy faces on rocks. I don't know.
What I do know is that my friend will be back. Because once you're a creator--we all are, that's why we have different brains from animals--then we must create.
Don't get me wrong. I've had my dark nights of the soul too.
But then I think about all you out there, and I realize that something I wrote was read by a complete stranger. Someone halfway across the country (or globe) read my stories, and maybe their burden was just a bit lighter because of the escape.
I'm the luckiest writer alive. I've received letters from readers telling me about their stillborn babies as well as fun everyday stuff like Derek telling me he was taking his grandkids trick-or-treating.
You make my day.
Yes, writing is a lonely profession. We've all heard that one. But what else have we got to do with our lives?
"I'm done. I can't deal with the rejection anymore."
This friend is funny, fun, witty and tells one hell of a story. But she's unhappy because she's not getting the sales she wants.
I want to tell you all this broke my heart.
We all have dark nights of the soul. It's this thing called life.
But if one is called to be a storyteller, then you must tell stories.
I'm not sure what to tell my friend. The first thing I want to say is all the rah-rah stuff that we hear in great motivational speeches. "You can do it! Keep on keeping on! Steve Jobs started a multi-billion dollar company that changed the world in his garage!"
But ultimately, if my friend wants to quit, she should throw in the towel because writing is clearly ruining her life. Maybe she can partake in underwater basket weaving or maybe grab some nail polish and paint happy faces on rocks. I don't know.
What I do know is that my friend will be back. Because once you're a creator--we all are, that's why we have different brains from animals--then we must create.
Don't get me wrong. I've had my dark nights of the soul too.
But then I think about all you out there, and I realize that something I wrote was read by a complete stranger. Someone halfway across the country (or globe) read my stories, and maybe their burden was just a bit lighter because of the escape.
I'm the luckiest writer alive. I've received letters from readers telling me about their stillborn babies as well as fun everyday stuff like Derek telling me he was taking his grandkids trick-or-treating.
You make my day.
Yes, writing is a lonely profession. We've all heard that one. But what else have we got to do with our lives?
Comments
Post a Comment