The life of a writer is not as easy as some
would have you think, but it is a worthy road to undertake and certainly well
worth the time you put into it. Of course, I can only speak from my experiences
when I say that. Such experiences are still very new in coming about but are
more than enough to make the previous statement a valid one. Others may well
tell you otherwise from their own journey through this rough road and that is
fine. Life is all about balance and writing is of no exception.
It is full of highs and lows. Let us not
forget those moments of trials and errors. Or those that keep us second
guessing our work and those spent on our toes in anticipation of how something
will be received by our steady growing audience of followers.
To be a writer is to walk a treacherous
path of pitfalls at every turn and rough ragged mountains to face upon every
climb. It is a life made of sacrifices and hours spent alone deep in thought or
rather in deep undulating mental conversations with your argumentative muse or
bothersome characters. It is a life where you make friends and break friends,
and a life where you must learn to endure the hard times and embrace all the
good times. There will be many of those upon the writing road of life. There is
certainly very few days when I’ve crossed through clear waters in this sailing
trip of words and I know that I stand not alone on this matter.
One moment you could be on the top of the
world and the next, you’ve hit the lowest of lows and want nothing more to do
with the pen held in your hand. It is often upon this low moment that one
deadly thought crosses the forefront of the writers mind. This very same
thought is one that can be deemed as the eighth cardinal sin. That deadly
thought is the one where all you want to do is abandon your hopes, dreams and
all you’ve dared to build and replace it with something better. It’s that very
moment where you question your ability in the passion to write that you’ve held
for so long and so deep within your soul.
God
knows I’ve been on that verge a fair few times in my short writing journey. But
you know what? I’ve never crossed that threshold into the abyss and do you know
why? It is all down to the support that I have found from people in the same
boat. If you head on over to MasterKoda.com on Facebook you’ll see exactly what
I mean. These people spend their time working on their projects, whether they
are writers, publishers, editors or whatever. It doesn’t matter; they will
still be there for you. They will make time for you. If you give to them, they
will give to you without any questions being asked. This very group has been a
lifesaver on more than one occasion for me and I owe them the world of thanks.
But none more so than Kim Mutch Emerson, who helped pull me up from the lowest
point in writing that I have ever stooped upon. She, with her words of advice
helped me to see the light on matters that I was facing.
But that still doesn’t make writing any
easier to grasp. So why do we write when we know it’s not going to be easy?
Well, I don’t know about you, but I write
because I am incomplete without it. I write because my soul demands the
expression and there is no better way to freely express what you feel than with
the power of words. It doesn’t matter how you put them down on paper, or how
you chose to express it. The freedom to do just what you want with them is the
very fuel that is ever lasting and remains to keep the fire burning.
When you tell someone that you are writer,
you may be shot down by questionable glances and accolades of jeering moments
as they try to remove you from your passionate perch. But don’t let get you
down. If anything, use it to your advantage. Use it to prove them wrong. Allow
it to become the very passion you love within your writing.
Writers all over the world will tell you
that it can be so frustrating when nothing seems to be working for you. You can
also go green with envy over your fellow writers success when you are left
trailing in the mud but please don’t let this become a growing focus in your
mind. Don’t allow the green eyed monster to take control and jeopardise
everything that you have worked for. So what if it takes you longer to make
ready your book or writing project. It does not matter about how quickly it
appears in the public eye. You want to make it the best thing ever so take your
time and enjoy the process. Be happy for those who have found success and keep
working on your own. You never know, yours might just be the best seller and
hitting the streets for millions to be reading and then who’s laughing?
Oh let’s not forget the stereotypes here.
Writers… what do people see when you tell them you are a writer? Well, some see
you as being a person who has relocated themselves to a lifetime of perpetual
torture at the hands of devil’s tool – the mighty pen. Others may see you as
being someone who sits behind a computer all day with a notepad to the side and
balls of paper littering the floor – who hasn’t been there? Some will think
that you do nothing but write and therefore live an isolated life with no time
for socialisation. But we all know this couldn’t be further from the truth even
if we tried. Many writers out there have a family to look after, and education
to learn and a job to keep. We do not slave endlessly to the willpower of the
written word, as much as we wish we could, an earning must be made.
But seriously, the journey of writing is
different for everyone, but we will all share those high moments and those low
moments. We may all lose the friends we have tried so hard to keep and often it
will be down to a difference of opinion or no respecting support from them.
These things happen. This is why many will say that to be a writer is to live a
life of near isolation. The most enjoyment comes when you are engrossed in the
lives of your characters or when you are reading the lives of others. Yes you
need down time and friends are good for that, but the world is your oyster.
The dream you hold, is the dream worth
living for. It is the dream worth fighting for. Don’t let anyone tell you
otherwise. You my friend are welcome in the arms of fellow writers to write
until your heart is content. Forget all about what comes next when you’ve
finished that first draft. Worry about that when it comes to it. Focus on what
you are writing first and foremost and enjoy the ride.
To my fellow writers out there, what advice
can you offer to those just starting out?
What handy tips are you willing to share to
those ready to further their writing?
What do people look for when reading the
works of others?
What pitfalls catch you upon every turn?
Do you have moments of the past where you
have felt like throwing the towel in?
If so, would you share them with us?
About Jennifer Don
Jennifer spent many years without daring to
lift a pen, without writing a word that wasn’t forced. But 2008 arrived and
with it, her love of writing. She began with poetry which quenched her thirst
to begin with but soon that wasn’t enough to satisfy her. 2011 arrived with a
dream to write her first novel – Awakening, which is on-going. November saw her
attempt her first NaNoWriMo, and so Timber Varden was born, with the bulk of it
being written within that month. Now she finds herself aiming to re-write that
draft and turn it into her first published novel.
Contact
While she aims to work through the edits
needed, updates on her progress can be found on here -http://www.facebook.com/AuthorJenniferDon
To find out more with regards to her other projects, then check out her blog here - http://thoughtsgowild.blogspot.co.uk/
And should you wish to follow her on Twitter, or ask her any questions please see here -https://twitter.com/#!/Voice_Of_Spirit
To find out more with regards to her other projects, then check out her blog here - http://thoughtsgowild.blogspot.co.uk/
And should you wish to follow her on Twitter, or ask her any questions please see here -https://twitter.com/#!/Voice_Of_Spirit
You can also add and follow Jennifer over
on Goodreads. You will find that link here – http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6155054.Jennifer_Don
Jennifer will be more than happy to answer any
questions you have for her. You can contact her at any of the links posted
above. Or email her at authorjenniferdon@hotmail.co.uk
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