The Not-Writing Life
First of all an update from the last post: my cherry tree not only shed its blooms, it has fallen victim to canker worms. Really really bummed out about it and don't know what to do. Advisors on-line and otherwise conflict.
Second of all, and a topic I've been meaning to blog about: the not-writing life.
If you are afflicted with what the Famous Writers School used to call the "restless urge to write," you of course do write and maybe like me have been trying to quit for years only to succumb to temptation and relapse. From time to time one looks the other way and sends out something that is already written unable to squash the remnants of that secret hope that somewhere someone will read you.
That's how it is, and I'm reporting that even though I still scribble notes from time to time I have quit trying to figure out how to get an agent, I have quit trying to set up a web site. I have thrown away the "lists of ten thousand names" that publishers require from you, and have ceased the endless honing of proposals, cover letters, and writing c.v.'s. When the e-mails come from Writer' Market and a marketing tip line and the Red Room blog site: I just delete them.
I did not enjoy doing all the trying to get published things, and while one can say that every job has disagreeable tasks, at some point you realize it is the job itself that is disagreeable and plus it is not working. I haven't stopped writing, I guess; just retired from trying to get published.
Instead, I started music lessons. Playing a Mozart sonata is something that actually does reward the practice! Mozart does not fail to respond. He does not tell you your playing while meritorious doesn't really fit his needs right now. Just keep it up, and the thing gets better by itself.
Yay I guess.
Second of all, and a topic I've been meaning to blog about: the not-writing life.
If you are afflicted with what the Famous Writers School used to call the "restless urge to write," you of course do write and maybe like me have been trying to quit for years only to succumb to temptation and relapse. From time to time one looks the other way and sends out something that is already written unable to squash the remnants of that secret hope that somewhere someone will read you.
That's how it is, and I'm reporting that even though I still scribble notes from time to time I have quit trying to figure out how to get an agent, I have quit trying to set up a web site. I have thrown away the "lists of ten thousand names" that publishers require from you, and have ceased the endless honing of proposals, cover letters, and writing c.v.'s. When the e-mails come from Writer' Market and a marketing tip line and the Red Room blog site: I just delete them.
I did not enjoy doing all the trying to get published things, and while one can say that every job has disagreeable tasks, at some point you realize it is the job itself that is disagreeable and plus it is not working. I haven't stopped writing, I guess; just retired from trying to get published.
Instead, I started music lessons. Playing a Mozart sonata is something that actually does reward the practice! Mozart does not fail to respond. He does not tell you your playing while meritorious doesn't really fit his needs right now. Just keep it up, and the thing gets better by itself.
Yay I guess.
posted by Pat at 1:26 PM
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