The Writer's Corner

I'm going to try and put up a "Writer's Post" again now and then--as a number of people have asked me to share thoughts on various elements of the business, the process, or life as a writer.

So, here goes . . . 

The Possible Dangers of Giving it your "All"

 

It’s funny how our perspectives can change as we get older.  Back in my grad school days, in my late twenties and early thirties, I knew a number of people whose dream was to be a professional writer, and they were going after that dream no matter what it cost them.  At the time, I found that mindset quite romantic.  For myself . . . I planned to teach college English as my career and write on the side in hopes of becoming published.  But I had a husband and a daughter, and I feared putting all my future eggs into the basket of “making it as a writer.”  I had personal and financial responsibilities. 

However, though I was pragmatic for myself, I still over-romanticized the bohemian idea of living on almost nothing and sacrificing everything for the goal of “becoming a writer.”

I will be fifty years old in June, and my perspective is beginning to change somewhat. 

I now know more than a few people who are also in their fifties, who did sacrifice everything—career, financial goals, relationships, everything—for the dream of “becoming a writer” . . . and then it never happened for them.  I’m finding that this is not so romantic for people in their mid-fifties heading into their sixties.

Recently, I’ve been faced with a few real tragedies for people who clung only to that one goal and dogmatically ignored everything else in their lives.

At the same time, I believe that the people who become published, successful writers are the ones who don’t give up.

So, for my younger friends out there who want to be writers, I say, follow your dreams, don’t ever give up, but develop a back-up plan and put the needs of the people you love first.   Also . . . think about a retirement account.

Barb’s two cents for the day.