Friday, September 14, 2007

Probably the top reason people stop writing

...life happens. It happens to you, it happens to other people. I mean--you got family, you gotta job. It's life the way it has to be. Like that old Rally's commercial, "you gotta eat."

I tell people I work for food and it's true. I work so I have money to pay my bills and buy chocolate--whatever is left over goes to my kids.

I thought I'd balanced out my inner Scrooge and my inner writer, but I was watching Food Network the other day, some kind of challenge show where the chefs were cooking mac and cheese for a ten thousand dollar prize, and most of the chefs said, "well, I think I have the best mac and cheese," and went on to talk about how they were the best, and it was all about personal recognition, and "bragging rights". And this one guy (I noticed him because he could have modeled for my cover) said, "I have a small restaurant, and ten thousand dollars would really make a difference."

And I thought, "how very upfront and honest...Keegan."

Because this guy cut right through the bullshit about his rep, and his mac and cheese, saying--right out there, for everyone to hear. Yeah. I'm here for the money, I need it, and it would make one hell of a difference in keeping my dream a reality.

People have different priorities, some people are more upfront about it than others. Someone recently told me her writing lost out to family pressures, and yeah--family is like this enormous vise-grip. Sometimes people crack.

That could be why they say writers are crazy. You've got to be crazy to keep going when the odds are like a zillion to one, and life throws shit on you.

I'm simply grateful for my friends. Thanks, Marie, for letting me vent. And thanks for the good suggestions. Everyone needs a sympathetic ear now and then. I owe you one.

3 comments:

Jeanna said...

I stopped writing for a long time because I had a job that gnawed on my soul and spit it out like a mummy finger.
This market research place I worked for wouldn't use anyone who answered the question "What would you do with a million dollars?" by saying "I'd pay my bills," or " I'd put it in the bank."
Interesting.

Jennifer McKenzie said...

I hear you. It's a struggle to figure out what's important. The truth is that I'd write no matter what. For a long time, nobody saw it but me.
But the goal is to get better, be better, touch people somehow. So, the grind continues.
Call it obsession, a hobby or a calling, it's in my blood and I'll keep at it.

Unknown said...

yeah, you and me both, Jen. I'll write until it kills me, lol

and Jeanna, you're a sweetie. At least you're still writing. :) Jobs do suck