I received this email the other day. I get emails like this a lot, and I always try to respond (though sometimes my lack of time — or lack of a meaningful answer — get in the way of my best efforts), and usually my replies end up being just a few lines. This one, I don’t know why, got a more robust response that even I didn’t really expect, words just sort of tumbling out, and I thought it might be useful or challenging or at least an artifact of curiosity to post the email and its response:
Hello, Mr. Wendig,
My name’s [REDACTED], and I’m a second-year at [REDACTED]. I was going for an Economics major, found that it wasn’t for me (I hated it, and I wasn’t good at it). Now, I want to major in English.
I’ve been hearing these nasty horror stories about writers going hungry, being unable to find jobs, and, recently, I read a blog post about how writers die off almost at the rate of artists in L.A., New York, and… Sedona, Arizona, was it?
I want to try to find a job in the editing or publishing industry because I love books, especially novels (I know, I know, “another one,” right?) and I believe that I have the personality to be successful as an editor or a publisher. That is, if I can get the job first and work my way up in the company.
Actually, my real dream is to become a novelist. Which is a lousy dream to have right now. I should know. I studied the economy for a year and a half (ex-Econ major, remember?).
I feel lost. I feel lost and scared. What I’ve been doing is collecting the life stories of English majors, poets, and novelists to try to figure out how they got where they are as professional writers that get to do what they love for a living. I want to be like them, but I don’t know how to get started on that path. They always tell me that everyone takes a different route, but I want to know some of the routes that I could take. I’ll have to carve out a fork in the road to get to the finish line eventually—I know that—but I want to see how much guidance I can get before I can decide the best route to carve. it’s kinda like an RPG. You go through the village following these routes, and you can follow what the villagers tell you, or you can ignore them, but in the end you gotta take your own path through the creepy, dangerous forest. So. I guess that makes you a villager. Maybe the friendly local village Wordsmithy?
What I’m asking for is your life story, and any advice you might have. I do take the advice that I receive to heart. Please respond; I will appreciate any advice that you have to offer.
Best wishes,
[REDACTED]
* * *
My response, which may or may not be helpful to the author of the e-mail and to you:
Hi, [REDACTED]!
I adore the RPG metaphor.
Don’t be scared.
I mean, you can be a little scared, but that should also come with a little exhilaration.
This is actually a pretty good economy for people who want to do their own thing.
So: after college, get a job. A day job. In publishing or out of it. Take the time when you’re not doing that to write a novel. And if that one sucks, fix it. And if it sucks so bad you can’t fix it, then write a different novel. Do this again and again until you maybe sorta semi-kinda know what you’re doing.
Make sure you have health insurance. When the day comes sooner or later that you won’t have a day job and you’ll be jumping out of a plane, building a parachute from your manuscript pages, we now have the ACA marketplace (which should be working by the time it matters for you) to help you obtain health insurance at a price that doesn’t kill you.
Write every opportunity you can.
But live every opportunity you can, too. We fill our creative coffers by experiencing the world around us. And we spend what’s in those coffers on the page.
Tell the stories you want to tell.
Bleed on the page.
Don’t chase trends — let trends chase you.
Be excited. Love writing. No reason to do this thing if you don’t love it. Don’t just love the result. Love the process. Even when you hate the process.
Learn why satisfaction is more important than happiness. Why long-term bliss means more than short-term dopamine release.
Tell stories about characters, not about plots.
Tell stories about you that nobody knows are really about you.
Write what you know except when that stops you from writing what you want to write — then use it as an excuse to know more and write more.
Worry more about writing good stories than getting published. The publishing industry is just the minotaur in the middle of the maze: the challenge at the end. You still have to get there. You still have to wander the maze in order to fight the monster.
Don’t feel like you have to write just one thing. Write the things that make you twitch and smile and scream and clamp your teeth. Write those things to which your heart and soul respond. Write to your loves. Write to your fears.
Say things with your work. Make the words about something. About more than just what’s on the page.
When you have a novel you love and trust: seek an agent. Or self-publish. Choose a path and then choose the other path later down the line to mix it up. Seek diversity. Aim for potential and possibility.
Hell with the doubters.
Down with the haters.
If this is something you really want to do, do it.
Embrace the fear.
And write.
Good luck.
— c.
Charles Harvey says:
great advice. And to add, don’t despair
November 14, 2013 — 7:57 AM
Stela says:
Not just great writing advice – great life/attitude advice! Full force ahead!
November 14, 2013 — 7:59 AM
KVeldman says:
That’s great Chuck! I actually finished out my econ degree before I realized I wanted to be a writer, and that is pretty much exactly how I am attempting to do this. I’ve finished a vomit draft of a novel, but I don’t think it’s very good. I’m working on another that I like much better. Maybe I’ll come back and rewrite the first one, maybe it can be fixed in editing. The point is that I am going to keep writing despite working 60 hours a week. Good luck to the writer of this level and Chuck, keep up the good work.
P.S. I have to drive a few thousand miles soon here, thinking of getting the audible version of Dinocalypse Now. Is the narrator any good?
November 14, 2013 — 8:03 AM
Mozette says:
Chuck,
What a great post! You know, I was like this when I had a full-time job at an insurance company as an office junior. In my lunch hours I was writing a book in long-hand while I dribbled my bought lunch over the pages and sipped my coffee after it, while keeping my eye on the clock. And if I ever did lose track of the time? My boss was sitting at the next table behind me to give me nudge and remind me that it was time to get back to work. 😛
However, the time came when I did lose my job there… I became redundant… eewww! I hate that word. But I did. I got a pay-out and toddled off to the dole queue and found that finding a job was much harder than I thought… especially seeing I have Epilepsy and nobody wants to employ us spackos right? 😛 Because, well, who knows when we’ll have a seizure??? So there went my working career. So, I asked my folks about getting on the Disability Pension… we had to create a history for me and see if I couldn’t be fixed up with an operation first (oh… shit… was that an ordeal!!! That fucking test nearly killed me!!! If being off my medications wasn’t bad enough, and not sleeping for 2 weeks was crap, when the medical staff just bunged me back on my medicine and not weened me back on – thus over-dosing me and making me sick as all shit and unable to get home from Melbourne to Brisbane!… well, that’s another horror story for another time…. anyway… I got onto the Disability Pension. And now I’m known as a High-Functioning Epileptic as I can live on my own, go shopping without a buddy and drive a car too.
But most of all… in between all those tests, all the shit which went on and the crap I’ve been through, I was writing. I was writing when I was recovering from having a massive melanoma taken out of the back of my left thigh (and that’s left me with a 43 stitch scar on the back of my leg – people, get yourself checked with your weird-looking moles and freckles, it’ll save you’re life!). I was writing when I was beaten and raped by my violent boyfriend for 9 of the longest months of my life in 2000… and I’m writing now even though I’m working on an art project to make money on the side and save up for a holiday in the States and other great things I want in my life.
Yep, writing is something you have to live with, sleep with and enjoy because you love it no matter what you’re going through… and the hell, love, shit and life you live is only the base of what the stories.
November 14, 2013 — 8:04 AM
Doreen Queen says:
What a great response to his question – you really answered his unwritten question, which was how he should live his life. God, I love your writing. As someone at age 49 who is starting over with this crazy idea about maybe being a writer, I want to tattoo your words onto my brains so that I’ll live them. Thank you!
November 14, 2013 — 8:33 AM
Gina X. Grant says:
I wish someone had said this stuff to me when I was young(er). Allow me to add that while there are no deadlines, I’ll bet most of us that began our writing careers in middle age wish like hell we’d started earlier. Thank you.
November 14, 2013 — 8:41 AM
Liz says:
True that Gina! It’s comforting to know I’m not the only mid life writer!
November 14, 2013 — 11:34 AM
authorlady22 says:
Fantastic, practical advice. There are too many options as a writer to worry about “not making it.” We live in a time when a writer’s career CAN be in their hands, which is a terrifying, AWESOME thing.
November 14, 2013 — 8:53 AM
Dan Dan The Art Man says:
That was amazing. Thank you for shraringthat here for all of us to read and benefit from too Chuck.
November 14, 2013 — 8:55 AM
LindaGHill says:
What a great and encouraging response. Thank you for that.
November 14, 2013 — 8:57 AM
Marsha Blevins, Author says:
When I changed my major to English and told my family, a relative laughed and said: “A degree in English and $5 will get you a cup of coffee.” It was a little rough hearing that back then, but the daily Starbucks is pretty good, and cliche as it may be, I like writing there. My local SB is in a little shopping plaza so it’s a great spot for people watching to build my characters. At my day job, I’m a customer service manager and I get a lot of special projects because I have great communication skills (verbal and written) and I have solid problem solving skills. I create or improve policies and process for my co-workers and customer’s every day, which is a great feeling. I credit my “talents” to the hundreds of critiques and essays I had to write in college. I found studying for a degree in English challenged me to look for other points of view and other possibilities and then support the hell out of my observations. I can play the “what if” game and the “if this, then what” game better than any MBA grad. I’m not published yet, but I will be someday. The other cool part: my boss at my “day job” knows about my writing and he periodically asks what I’m working on and even offers suggestions for characters, etc. So ignore the haters and find the supporters…the supporters are the ones you want around you. 🙂
November 14, 2013 — 9:05 AM
Dan Erickson says:
Great advice. I’ve been coming to the conclusion that good writers must write for ourselves first. We must forget the trends and just focus on our own style and craft. Less blogging doesn’t hurt either.
November 14, 2013 — 9:08 AM
Jenny Knox says:
I can’t lie: I came in expecting a sort of half-assed lukewarm rah-rah response. Instead I think you gave some damn fine well-rounded advice.
This is why I keep coming back to this blog. Not because I’m a stalker. No, definitely not. Because of content like this. And that wasn’t me peeking through your window last night. Sure, she looked like me, but it was dark, so it could have been anyone, really…
November 14, 2013 — 9:26 AM
Leah Rhyne says:
As someone else who was once the recipient of a really, REALLY impactful email response from you, I can only say…bravo, friend. I love that you’re so kind to so many people.
And if I could add one item: Say yes. When someone offers you a job, any job, in the writing world, say yes. Try it out. You never know where it will take you.
November 14, 2013 — 9:26 AM
terribleminds says:
Woo! I don’t remember what I said, but I’m glad it wasn’t, y’know, crappy.
🙂
As for “say yes” — I agree, for the early portion (first act?) of a writer’s career. Then it becomes important to transition to “saying no sometimes” and eventually “saying no a whole lot.”
— c.
November 14, 2013 — 10:27 AM
Patricia Knight says:
A lovely response and one that says much about the man writing it. You are a very good soul, Mr. Wendig.
November 14, 2013 — 9:35 AM
jacksonkaos says:
You know, Chuck, you might use the monicker “TereribleMinds,” but really, your mind is friggin glorious. *Terribly* glorious maybe, but still glorious.
This advice does indeed help (me at least).
November 14, 2013 — 9:35 AM
Carolyne says:
“Tell stories about you that nobody knows are really about you.”
This is so scarily useful.
Not that it means writing an autobiography but it can be taking the pain, joy, aspirations, frustrations, devastations, and finding how they fit your characters and story. I stumbled into that, but would have gotten through the forest a lot faster if there’d been a kindly village wordsmith around. Thankfully there’s one around now. I think there’s a dungeon needing crawling.
November 14, 2013 — 9:44 AM
Beverly says:
I found this letter very touching and genuine. It’s beautiful to see someone who can not only ask the big questions, but do so with correct grammar. There’s hope for this one.
I also like your response and found that touching as well. I’ll be sure to share this post around.
November 14, 2013 — 9:49 AM
Antonio says:
This was a great read, something that took me out of my morning funk. That, and the coffee.
Thank you for sharing, I bet the receiver was ecstatic to receive a response like that.
November 14, 2013 — 10:06 AM
Jess says:
Seriously considering printing this out and putting it next to my computer on the wall, as a way to slay the bitch internal editor while I’m writing. Thank you: this is excellent!
November 14, 2013 — 10:11 AM
J. S. Collyer says:
What a bloody amazing response. I felt goosebumps. Honestly. And you’re exactly right. It’s scary at the start, I look back at how much I have done to get to where I am and its staggering, but not as staggering as what is still left to go. But I’ve loved every second of it and would never do anything else. So do it. Just do it. You’re right. Fricking awesome
November 14, 2013 — 10:12 AM
kkellie says:
Yep.
I started writing when I couldn’t teach anymore. Writing saved me. The stuff I write isn’t for everybody but that’s okay, I’m writing what I need to write, learning as I go, trusting that this crazy path I’m on is the right one. For me, I mean.
That’s the key, write for yourself, do it for yourself, everything else is icing on the cake.
Thank you, Chuck Wendig.
November 14, 2013 — 10:27 AM
Jessica says:
This… yes. Amazing. Can you put this in a poster? There’s a spot on my wall that it needs to be.
November 14, 2013 — 10:28 AM
terribleminds says:
I keep hoping someone else will start putting this stuff into cool posters. 🙂
But if not, I’ll maybe get around to one one of these magical days where someone has added a few extra hours.
— c.
November 14, 2013 — 10:32 AM
mattyweaves says:
This is exactly the sort of thing I needed to read today. Thank you.
November 14, 2013 — 10:48 AM
Betsy says:
Chuck, that’s a wonderful response. For the college student who wrote in, I’d also like to my two cents. I’m a tech writer and author (professional writer for 22 yrs) and also a mom to a recent college grad and a high school senior.
Studying what you’re passionate about has gone out of style, partially because college has become so incredibly expensive and employers don’t like to train people anymore, so there’s a preference for hiring students who have essentially been trained in college to be immediately productive in a job. Plus, too many employers are using free internships as a way to take advantage of young people (I believe unpaid internships should be illegal).
With all of this going on, like Chuck said, it’s not that bad a time to do your own thing because so many people are forced to punt when they graduate. Whatever path you take, hey it’s a path. We all need to feed our souls, and you clearly need to write to be happy. The thing is, that for almost everyone it takes writing a lot, lot, lot of words of fiction to get good at it. So having a separate day job might seem like it won’t give you the time, but it actually removes the burden of trying to be productive at novel writing before you have the capacity to be productive–by productive I mean the ability to generate work that is strong enough to sell on a consistent basis. (That doesn’t mean it is guaranteed to sell-just that you’re reaching a certain level of quality–selling is different than writing, and Chuck covers stuff about the publishing side elsewhere in this blog.)
So I would say, start writing right away, and start looking for a supportive writing group. Yes, change your major and then stick with it and finish your degree even if you decide you hate majoring in English after you’ve changed. Because otherwise, you’re circling the drain and you’ll need to get a degree and move forward. Oh, and I recommend that before you graduate, you fit in a couple of programming classes if you can. Often, there’s value in being a technology lead as a teacher if you go that route, and if you’re interested in publishing, being able to fiddle around with e-book formatting, etc. is also useful.
Best of luck to you and to all of you writers out there. It’s an awesome tribe to be part of!
November 14, 2013 — 10:51 AM
Dotti says:
I agree, Betsy. I learned more about writing from my early critique groups than from the few writing classes I took…although they were helpful too.
November 14, 2013 — 11:05 AM
Anthony Elmore says:
As someone who’s middle-aged and trapped in Dilbert’s cubicle, I needed this. I’ve convinced myself that all the crap jobs teaches me longing and allows me to interact with genuine people.
A crappy day job will teach you how to swallow anger, hold your tongue, deal with jerks, doing boring stuff and think on your feet. How does this apply to the writing life? Join a critique group full of bandaid yankers,, edit the same sentence for two hours (and it still doesn’t sound right!), take a writing assignment just for the byline, or have to change the tempo during a pitch meeting when its not going well to find out.
Steer hard into the current of your dreams, young person, and ignore any advice that sounds like “Abandon ship!”
November 14, 2013 — 11:08 AM
morag donnachie says:
Wise words indeed.
I was always a passable writer, as a kid I really enjoyed it, but I became an actor and spent years working in theatres.
When my kids came along I gave it up to look after them and really enjoyed it, still do. Recently whilst teaching my kids to write I came back to it myself, the writing that is. I am currently writing my first novel, amongst other things, and am loving it. Maybe I’ll get published someday (fingers crossed) maybe I won’t.
The important thing for me is, enjoying the journey, honing my craft, playing with the words. I think, if you really want a thing, are driven by an overwhelming desire then you should do it…but remember a vocation is like a marriage, some days are amazing and life affirming, some days are awful and you wonder why you ever though this was a good thing, but most days you just rub along happily getting on with things.
I don’t know if this actually makes sense or says what I wanted it to my kids chose now to begin a pitched battle through the house yelling at the tops of their voices.
November 14, 2013 — 11:11 AM
M.R. Dorough says:
I studied English as well. The reaction was always the same. A judgmental expression followed by, “So… what? Are you going to teach English?”
I would just shrug my shoulders and say, “No, not planning on it.” They’d then ask what I was planning on doing and I never knew how to respond. I didn’t really have a plan. I was just doing what I loved and I’d see how things panned out after I graduated.
Being an English major isn’t an easy road. You have to convince employers that you have skills to bring to the table. This is only made more difficult by the fact that every other field of study is convinced that there’s not much to writing and that everyone can write. Hell, I had to work a part-time job at a Petsmart for more than a year before I found a full-time job as a content writer that paid out only a measly $10 an hour (I graduated in 2011, so the job market was pretty crappy, but still).
Despite what most people seem to believe, there’s a lot to an English major. We don’t just know how to write, but how to write well. We know exactly where to place punctuation (and why), how to structure our writing for utmost clarity, and how to arrange our ideas to make the strongest argument possible. We know how to research in order to support our views, how to incorporate that research into our argument, and how to pull disparate parts into a comprehensible whole. We even know that how the words look on the page is important, how the paragraphs are shaped and how the pieces are divided. We’re highly effective communicators, analyzers, and critical thinkers. We’ve read the literature that’s shaped our world, which allows us an insight into the human condition and experience far beyond what a study into history alone would allow. All very lofty, difficult to substantiate, and even more difficult to convey to someone who doesn’t “get” it.
I’ve since moved on to a more lucrative job as a blog manager at a marketing company and am currently in the “day job while you write” phase. While I wish that my day job was in the publishing industry as an editor or some-such, you have to take what you can get, even if it’s rather dull and unfulfilling (which mine is). Here’s to hoping that one day I can focus wholly on my writing, but, until then, I just have to drag myself to my cubicle every morning (my own little slice of paradise!).
Sorry to ramble, but this struck a chord with me. Best of luck to the writer of that email. Keep on keepin’ on.
November 14, 2013 — 11:28 AM
Liz says:
Thank you, Chuck! I think we all struggle with the am-I-going-to-make-it-why-am-I-wasting-my-time inner voice more often than not, and those resounding words of encouragement need to be heard. Often.
November 14, 2013 — 11:31 AM
claylindemuth says:
That kicks ass, Chuck.
November 14, 2013 — 11:53 AM
joeturner87 says:
I confess. It was me who sent the email.
Yours faithfully,
REDACTED Jones.
November 14, 2013 — 11:57 AM
abuzzinid says:
Thank you!! I’m enlarging this and pasting it next to the mirror where I will read it every day. (I have ART HARDER… where my eyes rest when I’m at my computer, thinking.)
The part about living life is so true. I didn’t go for English in college because I wanted to eat. And pay bills. My dad create dire images of my life if I took that road and I didn’t know any published authors at the time. I have a long list of jobs and careers and now want writing to eventually support me, but in the interim, my life has given me so much to work with.
Everything gives you material–especially your failures, or what you think at the time was the wrong choice. The road is where the story is, not the destination.
November 14, 2013 — 12:44 PM
linderan says:
This is great advice, and I’d like to add my own example to all this, as someone in a similar situation.
I switched, 3/4 of the way through college, to a creative writing degree. I love writing stories, so that’s what I chose to major in. SCREW IT YOLO etc.
Also, luckily enough, I’ve always intended to be in the military. ROTC didn’t work out, so I’ve decided to enlist. My enlisted friends say its really not a bad life…usually.
That leaves me a senior, soon to graduate, fully intending to join the Army with a creative writing degree in my pocket, for later. Some might consider this course one of desperation–after all, I’m a young writer joining the Army straight out of college. I, however, consider this a good path. As Mr. Wendig said, if you can’t just leap into your dream-job-happy-place, do something that’ll feed you and that, hopefully, ideally, you still also enjoy while you write on the side. Hope this helps any lost souls out there, reading the comments, lol.
November 14, 2013 — 12:46 PM
Scott Nelson says:
I’ve been trying to follow this advice for the last year. Maybe my version hasn’t been so well formulated, but it’s great to see it in black and white.
I’ve always wanted to write a novel, but…. There were so many things in the way, and I allowed them to block my path. Last year I discovered podcast, and searched out those about writing and self publishing. After listening to a few dozen episodes of several, I dropped the WIP I’d been working on for 30 years and started fresh. On Oct. 22 I started and wrote for 109 days to finish my first draft. The second draft was much more daunting, but finally I closing in on the end.
Your advice is golden Chuck, but there is one piece you left out. If you want to write a novel (or anything else), you have to do two things: 1. Apply butt to chair. 2. Apply hands to keyboard.
This morning I found a quote that if I had taken it’s advice when I was a teen. The might have beens actually might have been.
“The question isn’t who is going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me.” – Ayn Rand
November 14, 2013 — 2:01 PM
thenotebook183 says:
I think your answer nailed it quite well.
November 14, 2013 — 2:18 PM
Laura says:
A brilliant piece of well-timed advice. Thank you for the encouragement.
November 14, 2013 — 3:21 PM
Kevin Welch says:
I enjoyed this as I always enjoy your writing. You’ve got a good brain. I’ve been meaning to write to you also about your piece on metaphor, 25 things you should know…..
I’m an old singer/songwriter, mostly a songwriter. I came out of the mills in Nashville, under contract for 25 years at one publishing company or another. I had a lot of really good teachers, and these days I myself teach songwriting workshops on occasion. I have always very much loved using metaphor, I love thinking about them, I love sometimes finding a real beauty. I would sometimes try to talk about it in my workshops and would just get tongue-tied. My ideas were too big, my whole spirituality is based on metaphor and the fact that it works. See? I still can’t talk about it. So, one day I googled ‘Metaphor’, and I found your piece, which completely knocked me out. I bookmarked it on my computer, and then I subscribed to your blog, which I’ve never done before. Now, here’s the deal: I was teaching in Auckland NZ, or maybe it was in Australia, and I projected 25 Things on the screen behind me and made everyone read it, and it knocked them out too, and helped me do my job more fully. Awhile ago you mentioned that a few donations wouldn’t hurt your feelings at all, and I believe I owe you some thankful support. It can’t be much, because I’m a songwriter for gods sake, but I’d to chip in now and then, much like I do for our PBS and NPR stations. Because I intend to keep reading you, and learning from you. So, how do I do that?
Thanks.
November 14, 2013 — 3:32 PM
DebE says:
We can wish we took up writing earlier, but there is no substitute to living LIFE so we can write about it.
Great advice, Chuck.
Get a job. Live. MAKE THE TIME to write about it, get good… then see about publishing.
November 14, 2013 — 4:21 PM
Rebecca B. says:
I’ve struggled my entire life with trying to explain to people why I want to do certain things, especially creative endevours. “Why do you want to play piano? Why do you want to study philosopy? Why do you want to write?” The answer is pretty simple. Because I must. There is a need inside me unfulfilled without a creative outlet. Let it build up to much and the explosion isn’t pretty. It’s usually full of dark self-loathing and anxiety and hatred for the world.
I think a lot of people find creative endevours hard to understand because we’ve been cultured to believe that we should be spending most of our time doing the thing that will make us rich – like having money with solve All The Problems. And then you can live a life of leisure, which writing or playing musical instruments or singing or drawing or whatever it may be is seen as. Leisure.
Playing piano isn’t leisure. Needing to write isn’t leisure. Expressing myself creatively isn’t leisure. I need to do it. I *have* to do it. Not to disparage non-creative types . . . but I firmly believe creative endevours are frowned upon by others because they either just don’t understand it (aren’t a creative type) or are jealous. That you have the balls to know what you love and to go out and do it.
November 14, 2013 — 4:40 PM
Judith V. says:
From the day I subscribed to terrible minds, I’ve read all of the email updates that pop up in my inbox, and I take each one to heart. I stifle my giggles as I read the humorous ones peppered with more curse words than I knew existed. I let the pep talks move me as I read them each morning in my office cubicle. I think once a co-worker even heard a sniffle coming from my desk as I patted my wet eyes feeling reassured by your words that I’m not crazy and alone for wanting to choose a life of writing.
That truth aside, I never comment.
This email update was different. As I read it, the need to stand up and scream, “Yes, I know how you feel. I feel the same way.” was overwhelming.
I could feel the desperation in the sender’s words. It’s a feeling I’m all too familiar with as well. I crave the life stories of other authors the same way he does. I love reading the “How I Got My Agent” posts on WD digest for the same reasons. I want to know how others ahead of me have successfully done what I dream to accomplish.
Your response to him (and to the rest of us like him) was perfect. Thank you for responding and sharing it with us.
I have to get back to pretending to work at my desk now, but I’ll secretly be writing my novel.
Thanks again.
November 14, 2013 — 8:02 PM
terribleminds says:
Thanks for commenting, Judith!
Write the hell out of that book.
— c.
November 14, 2013 — 9:12 PM
Katie Cross says:
A great response, I think.
November 14, 2013 — 8:45 PM
Nadine De Lisle says:
That Chuck guy. Tough number. Rough character. Swears too.
Heart o gold. Yep. The $1200 an oz kind. Smart too. Breeds hope. Supports writers. Values life. And that’s important. To quote a poem from an English major I knew who passed far too young: “Life. Which is enough.”
As for “the writing”. You can make a living using your talent for writing. I have – for many years. You will also need thinking skills- which are valued at more than gold– because if your thinking is mushy- your writing will be too.
A salute to all English majors (btw- major in other things too) and to Chuck, a hearty “Amen”.
November 14, 2013 — 8:55 PM
terribleminds says:
LIES
November 14, 2013 — 9:12 PM
Bliss says:
Inspirational! The key is indeed to just write. And then, put your writing out there any way you can. Be less concerned with getting published, stop procrastinating, and complete your first novel! Then you’ve got something to offer. This is the advice i give myself 😉
November 14, 2013 — 9:14 PM
queenbee3645 says:
Wow…just wow. And thanks. I’ll make that poster, though I have no idea how at the moment.
November 14, 2013 — 9:41 PM
Gregory Lynn says:
I have two comments, and I feel like I need to preface them with the fact that I am not an expert on anything.
In the entire history of mankind up to this point, I think now is the best time to dream to be a novelist. The internet has made even the tiniest of communities viable, and your audience is out there to be found. Finding it may be hard, but the hard is what makes it great.
Also, for anyone still in school, take history classes. There are very few things that give one a good understanding of the practical aspects of the way people interact as a good understanding of history.
November 15, 2013 — 12:51 AM
Jon Rieley-Goddard says:
My two scents’ worth — read a lot of other writers, and learn the basics of grammar and usage. Why? Because a writer who does not read is like a biker who does not pedal. And as far as the grammar/usage thing goes: Sloppy writing does not deserve attention, IMHO. Why would I care more than you do about your writing?
November 15, 2013 — 1:50 AM
Wendy Christopher says:
Chuck, your response rocked for two reasons. Reason one: it just rocked, stand-alone, for the words you wrote. Great advice, given in a friendly and wise way. And reason two: the fact you took the time to do it also rocked. Not many famous authors do – and certainly not with the style that you do. That IS a compliment, by the way ;^)
It would be lovely if you could go about getting the ‘job’ of novelist in the same way as you could get a job in a bank or an office – but then again maybe that would rip the joy out of it anyway, having to become a Dilbert in a cubicle…
All I know is, each of the (minor) successes I’ve had with my writing have been while I was holding down sucky sucky jobs at the same time. It’s actually a pretty good way to learn the craft, since paying your bills and whatnot doesn’t depend on you getting it right really quick, so you can take all the time you need to grow and develop as a writer. It just means you have to do the sucky sucky jobs in the meantime ;^)
Us writers need some sort of nurturing Utopia-type place, I think, where we can all live together in a sort of mutually-supportive commune, teaching and learning from each other. Or is that a religious cult..?
November 15, 2013 — 2:56 AM
Mardra says:
Great Post, Chuck.
In fact, you could probably just post this every day.
Wait, you kind of have.
Thank you. I needed it *again* today.
November 15, 2013 — 9:45 AM