9 to 5 aka 4:30 am to 7 am and/or midnight to 2

I’ve been reading some discussion on loops lately about whether writers really work.

Those of you who write are laughing now. Of course we work. Writing is very hard work. It’s often lonely, stressful, irritating work. There is nothing about it that isn’t work. Some parts of it are more work than others.

Any writer who’s seriously writing with their goal being a career as a multi-published novelist knows that writing is hard work.

I’ve decided that you have to treat writing like a full time career if you want to make it. It has to be a full-time career even if you have another full time career. I have another 8-until-it-gets-done job. When I come home, I have another job – novelist. My husband and I joke that I have two jobs. I work a lot. I don’t watch TV. I don’t read as much as I’d like, but I do read. All writers need to read. I don’t clean house. I don’t rent movies. I don’t play games. I write.

If it’s so hard, if it’s so much work why do it?

Why go to medical school to be doctor? Why beg, borrow, and beg some more to get enough money to start your own business? Why work at McDonalds and make do on Ramen Noodles to get that acting gig?

Because it’s important to follow your dream.

Because you are called, and to ignore your calling is as painful as it is wrong.

Because if you don’t, you’ll always wonder if you could have.

Because what is life without risk?

It’s hard to protect the writing time when you aren’t dragging in the dough. It’s hard to make others believe it’s work. However, you have to do it.

My 15-year old step-daughter asked if I was going to publish my book. I told her yes. Yes, I will publish. Maybe not this book. Maybe not that book. But I told her I’m too stubborn to give up. Nothing makes me smile like writing romance. Nothing is as hard or seems as fun.

She smiles when I say I’ll keep at it until I get published. My example of fortitude is good for her. Hopefully, she won’t wait until she’s in her late 30’s to identify what it really is she wants to do.

But if she does, I hope she has the guts to do it.

Ah, I’m back on the clock in a few minutes. Break’s over. My job is calling.

Go write.

Macy