Ever since I began writing
Bryony in 2007, I've been a semi-faithful reader of Paperback Writer, the blog of one very prolific writer, Sheila Kelly, also known as S. L. Viehl, Lynn Viehl, Gena Hale, Jessica Hal, and Rebecca Kelly (depending on the genre of her project).
Kelly's blog was fairly new at the time, and she casually and humbly shared a little of everything: her writing projects, her hobbies, pieces of her life, and hosted giveaways.
She'd found what many fiction writers rarely find in the commercial industry: a very successful means of income.
And then she stopped, in favor of freelance ghostwriting, which released the pressure and gave her a new-found freedom.
A few weeks ago, I responded to a book marketing post that appeared in Facebook news feed: It started off by saying something to the effect of "Imagine your perfect day as an author. You get up without an alarm clock, mosey to the kitchen to pour a cup of coffee, and spend the day writing the stories in your head."
I usually keep scrolling past these things, but I had just come off a very long (and not unusual) Friday, and I added a couple of polite sentences that refuted that vision.
Let me tell you, with few exceptions, anyone who makes money in the publishing industry does not "mosey." The industry is challenging, competitive, and very, very hard work. For anyone who thinks I'm prolific, I'm lazy and laid-back compared to this Kelly's output. The more I learned about her (and I've never read a single one of her many, many books), the more I wondered at and admired her.
For me to write that last book of
Before the Blood required squeezing out every last drop of creative work I had in me. I have no idea how writers write creatively for a living. At least with features, I start off with a story pitch and then gain plenty of information in the interviews.
Although it sounds like a wonderful dream to live in your creative mind 24/7, that's all it is, a dream. Nothing is wonderful 24/7, and nothing is more real than taking wisps of ideas and pounding them into life.
This is not to discourage anyone from writing. But it is meant to encourage you past the dry spots, the frustration when words don't easily gush forth (when few people even read them once they do), and to keep in mind the reason why we bother at all: because we must.
Because I believe all creative people have, at their core, an invisible something that urges them to arrange words on paper and splashes of color on canvas.
I'm forever thankful to the people who pushed me forward to still be writing and editing today: starting with my mother recommending me to the outreach person at Barnes and Noble to host a homeschooling workshop, which led to three radio programs, which led to writing guest columns for The Herald-News, which led to freelancing for 15 years-plus, which led to a former Herald-News reporter exhorting me to apply for the role I have today.
It is a privilege to share stories - other people's stories and the stories of the people who spring out of my head.
It is an honor to sit among other very hard writers and editors in a newsroom and learn from their example.
In the very beginning, I admit, I was a little envious of what Kelly had accomplished. The envy is now gone, and I have glimmer of understanding. She's now carved a very happy writing place in her life (and it sounds like there's even a bit of mosey), and I wish her tremendous success with it.
So naturally, over the last few years, Kelly's post have grown sparse, and so did my popping onto her page. About a week ago, I read this one.
http://pbackwriter.blogspot.com/2018/08/last-post.html#comment-form.
Near the end, she hands her torch to the next generation of writers.
For writers who are reading this: she means you.
For readers who are reading this: we ultimately write for you.
