Thursday, April 29, 2010

Clarity?

I've been temping at a new job and the insanity is finally winding down. In this instance insanity is defined as working 14 days straight with overtime sprinkled on top. * Children? I have children? Oh, yeah, I remember them. They're cute.* Type of thing. A birthday that passed by and made me think, really think of where I am and where I want to be in life. Not to mention one of my days off was spent at a funeral for a beloved family member. So as an understatement these past two months has been a little crazy.

And all of it has changed my clarity on so many issues. Since this is a blog about writers...

The definition of published is not in the eye of the beholder, but definitely why one wants to be published is. And in those quiet moments I've asked myself why do I want to published. With only enough time to sleep and eat writing has been pushed to the back burner for the first time in many years.

I mean, the people I work with don't know that I write. Let alone that I'm published. I'm a little ashamed to say I find this freeing. I'm not asked "When is the next book coming out?" So there is no answer that makes me feel like a failure in some way. Maybe that just means I need to have that separation of church and state i.e. Melissa the person and Melissa the writer.

But I think it means I need to find clarity on why I want to be published. The answer is there, but like I write I need to fill in the middle, which I dread. The thing is the answer won't be what it used to be. At least not the one I used to have secretly, but now it's because being published means having a career in something I'm absolutely passionate about. But first I have to get to the answer. I have to fill in those blank spaces between the question and the answer in order to know how to proceed.

Why do you want to be published? What was your journey from the question to the answer?
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2 comments:

  1. Micole BlackMay 6, 2010 at 9:46 AM

    Well, like you Melissa, my reson for wanting to be published has changed. It used to be just because I wanted to see my name on the cover of a book. Still waiting for that dream to come, but while I wait I ponder the same things that you do... Why do i want to be published? Writing a book brings so much joy to me... creating charcaters that are so real to me that they are family, building a home for them and bringing them together. I love the process and gruelling as it may be. I love the way I feel when I am writing and the published part would just enhance that high that I get from writing. By being published I could share what I love the most. And in the process Hopefully bring as much joy to my readers as I got when i wrote it!

    Great blog by the way! Thank you.

    hugs

    Micole

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  2. AnonymousOctober 15, 2010 at 6:55 PM

    Melissa, you asked this question a while back and now I'm ready to answer after much delay. Why do I want to be published?

    I was hooked on writing the moment I saw my prof's face light up as he read my light-hearted college assignment about turkeys on the golf course. It was only one paragraph, and the assignment was about proving my computer skills at the time, but in that instant I knew I wanted to write more -- it was just too much fun thinking of funny things to say!

    I went on to earn my degree and eventually made enough bucks to attend some writing conferences.
    As part of my job I wrote book reviews,
    then journal and newspaper articles.

    It's a thrill to explore all of the many facets of writing. But, on days when I look beyond my own writing efforts, I have to remember that every author was a beginner at some point.
    I also remember that my journey is a personal one and just need to keep on keeping on ... as I continue writing with passion in quick little baby steps!
    Thanks,Melissa,for reminding me how and when I got hooked!

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