Staying Optimistic About Writing
The first thing to understand about writing is there is nothing quick about it.
When I was a young man I was so convinced I was going to be a well paid successful writer that for years I had contempt for regular employment. I lived off of Public Assistance or Unemployment Compensation when I could get them or took dead-end jobs to pay the bills. I even sold my blood plasma, anything to have time to write. I was the original starving artist and proud of it, too. You see, I was a Writer. Oh, the misguided egotism of youth.
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Ah, I didn’t become a well paid successful writer. But I did keep writing through years of rejection notices. Just don’t you think that things happen quickly in writing.
And there’s another thing you might want to guard against. I had my heart set on being a novelist until I realized I sucked as a novelist. So I figured I’d write short stories. I sucked at short stories. Then I discovered I had a real talent for flash fiction. Flash fiction got me publication, money and a K. LeRoy Irvis Fellowship that for three years paid me a generous stipend and allowed me to go to graduate school for free. Now page views for flash fiction on Triond suck and I have to get my page views writing articles.
In writing, the genre you may want to excel in may not be the one you end up writing.
For me, writing has been a true education. Have I achieved what I wanted to do as a writer? Strangely enough the answer is, yes.
I think I’m a good writer. I’ve taken early Social Security so I can read, comment and write all day long and I’ve found an online site, Triond, that allows me to publish and to network with other writers while the site pays me a monthly fee that increases at least %25 every time.
As a writer, I’m feeling pretty optimistic.
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October 7th, 2009 at 3:21 am
Good article Guy. I cannot wait until the day i can write fulltime, long way to go yet!
October 7th, 2009 at 3:29 am
It really sounds optimistic from others point of view too.
October 7th, 2009 at 5:38 am
An inspiring article, Guy. I’m optimistic as well.
October 7th, 2009 at 6:41 am
Great inspiring message for us all. Thank you!
October 7th, 2009 at 6:53 am
Glad to see you’ve found fulfillment in writing.
For me, right now, it’s little more than a hobby but I am developing and growing toward making it something more.
I will have to do a little research. I am not familiar with the term, “Flash Fiction”.
October 7th, 2009 at 7:10 am
Your passion and optimism paid off. You are one of the seasoned writers that provide a role model to us who are new in this field. I salute you.
October 7th, 2009 at 7:32 am
Excellent article Guy! Throw in a bit of your flash fiction every so often. It may not pay the best but I will read it.
October 7th, 2009 at 7:35 am
I am yet to find my niche. Optimism is what carries me through
October 7th, 2009 at 7:42 am
nice post Guy, you keep going.x
October 7th, 2009 at 8:03 am
Wonderful post Guy. I wish you much success here. It’s too bad that we don’t get points or pennies for reading each others stuff. I am disappointed when one of my stories or posts only gets 3-4 comments and 10-15 views. Kind of bums me out, so I know where you are coming from.
October 7th, 2009 at 8:20 am
Great post, you have excellent ideas..and I can say you’re a great writer..
October 7th, 2009 at 8:29 am
Ben, I always wanted to write full time but I didn’t think I would have to wait this long. Oh, well, a rose is a rose is a rose.
October 7th, 2009 at 8:33 am
Southgate, a writer can’t change the world but a writer can certainly change how he or she looks at the world.
October 7th, 2009 at 8:40 am
great post!
October 7th, 2009 at 8:42 am
Unofre, I’m glad to hear that. The way a writer feels comes out in the writer’s work. No matter how bad things are the writer must offer some hope to the reader. Not false hope but real hope no matter how gloomy things look. The writer’s message to the reader must be, Look no matter how bad things may appear to be we must find the courage to go on.
October 7th, 2009 at 8:50 am
Mrs. Heart, it’s easy for a writer to be gloomy about the future. To be realisticly optimistic takes courage on the part of the writer with just a touch of creative insanity.
October 7th, 2009 at 8:56 am
Lloyd, writing is a great hobby to have; and you will find plenty on flash fiction. It’s all over the Internet.
October 7th, 2009 at 8:59 am
Oh my dream job to stay home and write in my PJ’s, well I get to do that once in a while. I feel I am lucky in that I only have to work two days a week so I have more time for writing. What makes me mad are my adult children. They want to call or come over everyday I have off that I want to write. They say, ” Mom, you’re just sitting at home trying to write”. I still have hopes of seeing my first children’s book published. Yes, writing is a slow field. You have to love it to keep at it.
October 7th, 2009 at 9:04 am
Good writers sometimes don’t get published as quickly as some crap I have seen in books. It puzzles me.
October 7th, 2009 at 9:05 am
Your right we do gotta stay optimistic or then you can’t do what you want to do in your life
October 7th, 2009 at 10:12 am
athena, I’ m a survivor of the writing wars. As a writer I’m in a good place in my life.
October 7th, 2009 at 10:15 am
martie, I will be throwing in some flash fiction every once in awhile. Flash fiction is at the core of my theory of writing and what I’m all about as a writer.
October 7th, 2009 at 10:19 am
chitragopi, you will find your niche just like I did. Just do like I did. Just keep writing.
October 7th, 2009 at 10:28 am
lillyrose, don’t worry about me. I’ve got The Eagles on the radio doing “Witchy Woman” and I’m on Triond and all is right with the world.
October 7th, 2009 at 10:34 am
Papa, it’s a numbers game and I admit I do play the numbers game, too. It’s all part of writing.
October 7th, 2009 at 10:40 am
giftarist, you are too kind. I’ve had years to think about writing and I’ve come up with a few theories of my own that keep me from making myself look foolish.
October 7th, 2009 at 10:44 am
mishee, I’m glad you stopped by. It reminds me that I want to read some of your work.
October 7th, 2009 at 10:49 am
PR, that’s the right attitude. Life gives the writer plenty to write about but at the same time it tries to keep the writer from writing it.
October 7th, 2009 at 10:55 am
Marie, it’s a crap shoot. Talent is just part of the picture and some times it’s not the most important part. I’m lucky Triond came along when it did or I would still be in writing purgatory.
October 7th, 2009 at 11:00 am
royee, if a writer doesn’t stay optimistic there is no hope. Without hope nothing can be accomplished in writing or in life.
October 7th, 2009 at 11:46 am
Very inspirational and I’ve learned from your article once again! Thank you very much!
October 7th, 2009 at 12:23 pm
Great article, Guy! Quality material is great but it does take time to acquire substantial readership.
October 7th, 2009 at 1:04 pm
Sourav, all good things take time. I just didn’t think it would take this much time.
October 7th, 2009 at 1:07 pm
Yes, Eric, that’s what I’m trying to do, build up a readership. And of course that takes more time.
October 7th, 2009 at 6:25 pm
Im not novel material nor have I ever been.It takes time to get to learn the ins and outs of writting and its no short road.Ive done it for 32 years and Im still learning things as I go.This past year has been a real eye opener for my writting and my life that was needed.I find time to read,write and comment when i am home…woudnt have it any other way.Great article .
October 7th, 2009 at 6:29 pm
Good for you, being able to stay optimistic about writing even through the rejected notices. It can be hard sometimes, but I think it’s benificial if you stick to it. Great article!
October 7th, 2009 at 6:47 pm
Payge, we’ve both put in a lot of time writing and we’re both still going strong.
October 7th, 2009 at 6:56 pm
Aleena, most people would have given up; and that may have been the right decision for them. It would not have been the right decision for me.
October 7th, 2009 at 7:55 pm
Writing for a living is tough. My brother-in-law has 2 books published he authored himself and 3 others he co-published plus he’s edited about a dozen books and he still has to teach college because his royalties are only 20K per year.
October 7th, 2009 at 8:09 pm
Joe, it is tough. But he is making the 20K and that’s a definite accomplishment when you’re dealing with words.
October 7th, 2009 at 9:16 pm
It’s a hobby for me but one I enjoy and plan to continue.
October 7th, 2009 at 9:29 pm
Thank you. I try to stay optimistic and practice daily. I just started on this site. I hope my $0.25 will turn into something more lucrative. I’ll just keep at it. I love writing; so, I have to.
October 7th, 2009 at 9:31 pm
When you have words fighting within you to come out, you will write regardless of the odds.
October 7th, 2009 at 11:28 pm
So true, great article.
October 7th, 2009 at 11:46 pm
good for you for not giving up your dreams.
October 7th, 2009 at 11:47 pm
Excellent…I still dream of that day when I would write full time and live on it. It is possible but a difficult one!
October 8th, 2009 at 1:53 am
You are a great writer. Congratulations on your success. Writing is your passion and you had it in you. You didn’t quit and you made it. Great advice for the triond community.
October 8th, 2009 at 4:39 am
Great work my friend. You’ve kindled my fire to keep it burning.
October 8th, 2009 at 7:22 am
I really appreciated this little article because it shows your passion and true dedication. This kind of article is the kind of reassurance and inspiration people need in order to achieve their true passions. Great piece Guy…
God bless you and yours…
October 8th, 2009 at 7:50 am
A great inspiration for me.
October 8th, 2009 at 8:22 am
Yes, this give us other writers hope and inspiration to keep going that we will finf our niche too just like artists who paint.
I do love to paint in oils as well.
Thank you to give us hope
Sincerely eileen
October 8th, 2009 at 8:59 am
Winners never ever ever ever quit,
Quitter never never never win.
But it looks to me that you already know that.
Keeping going.
October 8th, 2009 at 10:47 am
Elizabeth has said it the best. You can’t be a winner if you quit. And a quitter never wins. If writing is your dream then write. You will find your niche.
October 8th, 2009 at 1:49 pm
I wish more articles on Triond were as well written as this. Thanks for sharing your story!
October 8th, 2009 at 2:00 pm
Your optimism is infectious Guy!
October 8th, 2009 at 2:18 pm
My niche “found me” and it was not anything that I was expecting. I make a decent enough living writing professional scripts for flash video movies for businesses only, mostly those in the nutritional and technology fields.
Up until the work started pouring in after I had written my first script successfully, did I even consider script writing, let alone THIS type of script writing an option, as I always felt it was my weakest genre.
Our views of ourselves and our own talents can be skewed, to say the least.
October 8th, 2009 at 4:52 pm
Hi, Sophie: Yes, this article turned out pretty good. I’m learning. Always learning.
October 8th, 2009 at 4:57 pm
klara, my new niche seems to be writing articles on writing for Triond. I’m okay with it. I can always submit a flash fiction story any time I like.
October 8th, 2009 at 5:00 pm
Vikram, it’s not easy being optimistic but it’s better than being the opposite.
October 8th, 2009 at 6:11 pm
Wonderful article and so true
October 8th, 2009 at 8:30 pm
Of course! I even wonder with some people; how can they write 10 articles in just one day?
October 9th, 2009 at 12:41 am
Optimism is the key, although sometimes that key gets a little rusty and needs oiling
October 12th, 2009 at 9:12 am
Really enjoyed the honesty of this piece – it’s funny how when I think of my current job in IT as making me constantly do things I don’t want to / don’t like, whereas in reality if I did throw my hat into the full time writing ring, like you say realistically may well end up writing about things that I don’t want to write about and for a lot less cash
I’m learning a lesson at the moment not to rush headlong into this writing game, but just enjoy the journey and let it suprise me on where it leads!