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Lately I've been asking myself a lot of questions. Looking for signs.
Am I really a writer? I love to write. But that doesn't make a person qualified. At times what I come up with is halfway decent. But . . . is this really my profession? The numbers tell me no. Dead end. Quit while you're ahead, honey. And part of me is so relieved to get this kind of confirmation from the universe. Okay, got it. Stop writing. But then, what do I do? I have to keep busy. No more messing around. It's time to find an occupation that will pay the bills. What is it? Music wasn't exactly fruitful for me. Art?
More dead ends.
Ah, Life. Why didn't you tell me this years ago? Or did you, and I wasn't willing to listen?
We should all come with a guidebook at birth with step-by-step instructions: "Pick this job, don't get into that relationship, don't buy that car, it's time to ask for a raise . . ."
Have you ever experienced a moment in your life where you were forced to question everything?
All those years ago our elders used to say "Get yourself a good profession" etc. Maybe we should have listened; but wouldn't our lives have been so boring! Even so, I still have those questioning moments quite often.
ReplyDeleteAt one point I was going to be a choir teacher, but 'professional slacker' sounded so much better (at the time).
DeleteEveryday I do, Amy. We all have to make a choice of doing what we love and doing what we think we must. I am sure that there is a low percentage of people who truly love their chosen profession or job. On the other hand, most people I know in the arts have a strong need to follow what their heart tells them to do, and the world is better off because of that. Unfortunately, most have to subsidize their passion with a paying job. The term, "starving artists", is too often true.
ReplyDeleteWe all question our yesterdays, but we still have a choice of our tomorrows.
How true!
DeleteI can relate. It's normal to ask these questions. I think there's more than one answer to what makes somebody qualified or a professional, but I believe that putting a lot of time and hard work into something really counts. You're not the type of writer who scribbles something here and there and doesn't really commit. You've written actual, complete books that people have read. That counts. Just something to think about.
ReplyDeleteGood point. I need to remember that!
DeleteSomeone once pointed out that if you sell over 200 books, your books are surviving on their own worth. No one shifts 200 books to friends and relatives. If you sell over 600, you are doing better than 95% of authors. Any higher than that and you're a star.
ReplyDeleteWe can't all be Dan Brown - and I, for one, wouldn't want to be.