Writers have a tendency to be emotional. I think I’ve mentioned that before. And it isn’t a particularly good trait in a business that requires frequent rejections before one succeeds. My response to the roller-coaster of the business is to quit frequently. I never quit for long, of course. Just long enough to wallow a bit and hopefully garner a few words of sympathy from everyone to whom I whine.
But I think it’s time to find a new coping method. I came to that conclusion after a conversation with my husband who is my strongest supporter and also a man who gets paid for his opinion all day long. He listened to my latest excuse for why I shouldn’t send out queries, proposals, or manuscripts anymore. Then he said, “I’m starting a new policy. Every time you threaten to quit writing, I’m fining you. The cash will go in my hunting fund.”
This would have been enough of a shock, but we happened to be lunching with my friend, Anna, who says things like, “brilliant” about everything I send her and who happens to manage a small publishing company. She spoke up instantly and turned the conversation into a full mutiny. “I’ll support that,” she said. “Fining is a great idea.”
So, now I’m stuck. I can’t even threaten to quit anymore, let alone really do it. I may never make any money as a writer, but surely nothing I write will ever be so bad an editor will fine me! It will be cheaper to keep writing.
Oh, I like this idea! But, most importantly I like your response to being fined — that you’re going to quit threatening! What a great response. Some people would just keep being fined. Love it! Your husband is “brilliant” too!
He is amazing, isn’t he?
Yea, nobody’s given me that rule, so I’ve been thinking of quitting lately too. If I didn’t like so much the idea of the next one I’m writing, I would quit. I would, I would, I would.
I’m sure your dad would be glad to fine you, too, Serenity Beth 🙂
mom
I can just hear him saying “Papa needs a new pair of hunting boots!”…
I just want to say, I love writing, too. But never, ever would I imagine sitting down to write a whole book. Just having the stick-to-it-iveness to even get the first draft done is more than I could fathom. Not to mention going back and revising it … continuing to make it better with each little bit of editing. I don’t think you guys realize how amazing you really are for getting this far. Now is not the time to quit.
You are a writer. Period. It does not matter if you sell anything; you express yourself brilliantly. You touch our hearts. If you never sell another word, that is enough. Love you, J.C.