I know a lot of authors out there (whether they are new or experienced, published or unpublished) have bouts of frustration in this career - I mean, really, it can be nerve-wracking - and I think that this week's question for the Writer Chics will help a lot of people.
What is the hardest part about being an author and how do you keep going?
Frustrations, frustrations...
ReplyDeleteSo far, I've encountered a few things that are hard about being an author.
1 - Time... I work full time, and by the time I get home, there is either so much other stuff to do, or I'm so wiped out that I just don't have time to write. I do try a lot of the time, but find that my work isn't really up to par, and when I go back through it later, I either scrap what I wrote, or modify it so much that it was really pointless in the first place. How do I overcome it? Sometimes I can't. If I can't write, I can't write. But what I can do is set aside a certain amount of time (or entire weekends) to try to catch up.
2 - Reading scenes in another book that is so close to something I've written that it is frustrating. Yes, it happens. It will happen to most authors. Sure, the overall storyline isn't the same, but sometimes scenes are similar. What do I do to overcome it? There again, sometimes there isn't anything I can do. If you're like me, the characters tell you what's up, its not the other way around. So if my hero shows me that this is what happened, then guess what... that's what happened. Trying to change events in your book can cause irreparable damage. You can write yourself into a corner! (Been there, done that... I suggest you don't try it). The only thing I can do in that case is to make it my own.
3 - The crazies in my head - Okay, this one some may consider to be a weird frustration. But, when you have so many characters in your head, showing you their stories simultaneously, it gets frustrating. I get headaches a lot when they can't take turns (migraines even... and sometimes they still won't leave me alone). I know they want me to get their stories down, but seriously, I'm only human.
4 - The Waiting Game... This one is pretty frustrating. As an author, its a pretty scary world out there. With a 95% rejection rate, your work may never be published. So, you send query letter after query letter, hoping that someone will see that special quality in you and give you a shot. Yes, the waiting game sucks, but the reality is... not everyone can be picked up. All you can do is try. What can I do about it? Well, there really isn't a good answer for that. If my book doesn't get picked up, then yeah, it sucks, but I can keep writing. I can keep telling my stories until someone sees that special spark in one of those and decides to give me a chance. Because, afterall, sometimes it just takes one story to get your feet off the ground, and before you know it, you'll be flying.
The hardest part about writing for me is also time. Like Kristie, I have a full time job so when I work all day and come home sometimes it's hard to write. I am also very social so there is always something going on and I love spending time with my family and friends. The solution: sometimes you just need to be anti-social for a little while. I've never regretted missing a movie or TV show to write instead. You've just got to learn to balance things out. Set 4 days of the week aside to write and don't make plans during those times. Also when I'm driving home from work it helps to turn on music that I've been writing too or that gets me motivated. Then when I get home I've already been thinking about my book and I'm ready to go.
ReplyDelete