As a youth I was raised to believe no one owes you anything. Therefore, I tend to look at situations in an objective view, instead of dealing mostly on feelings. Over the past few weeks I have been reading various comments, postings, etc and I wanted to ask fellow writers a question. Are you as serious about your career as you pretend?
I decided to ask this question because the behaviors of certain people in this industry are starting to boggle my brain. For example, I have been hearing of writers cursing folks out lately, because their manuscript was rejected. For the life of me I cannot understand this reaction to hearing no.
Unlike most writers I do not have a set genre I prefer to write. I have the memoirs coming, a romance fiction novel, then I plan to switch to films because my ultimate dream is to see my work on the big screen. In between this time I have written book reviews, plays, skits, magazine articles, you name it.
I didn't write these items because I had to, but for the love of writing. I eat, breathe, sleep, drink, and live for putting paper to pen.
On this journey I have faced rejection along with others in this game. Though I was an editorial writer briefly at Grambling, trying to get a magazine to publish my works after graduation was like pulling teeth. I have a degree in Management & a resume full of basic accounting duties; therefore I heard no on several occasions when trying to get started writing for publications.
At no point did I curse anyone out and/or get mad because I didn't make the cut. Instead, I wished them well and kept it moving. I kept pushing and eventually doors began to open for me.
Once I began writing my first novel I knew I wanted to completely self-publish. I come from a corporate background and have the skills to market myself in this game, and going this route will create a wider profit margin for me. Plus, I like running my own show and this is the best position for me. Being a 1 man show takes a lot of work, but in the end it will all be worth it.
With that being said how serious are you about your writing? Is this something you're doing for the love of money instead of the craft itself? If so, this business is definitely not for you.
Do you have an ego and get upset when fame doesn't come quickly, or no one asks for your autograph when in public? If that's the case get the hell over it. If you really love this business as much as you claim, then not getting recognized in the mall shouldn't be an issue.
Do you feel everyone you send a manuscript owes you something? Once again get the hell over it, because life will go on with/without you or your book. There are going to be people telling you no, misleading you, flat out lying, and some will never respond to you period. Thereby, leaving you to get the hint and keep it moving. It's at this point a serious writer will keep shooting for the mark, instead of throwing tantrums and expecting others to do your job.
In closing I want you to take a long hard look at yourself, and evaluate your agenda. The road to success is going to be long, and only the strong will survive.