Now, I know what you're thinking. "I don't have time to read a blog. Most blogs fail. You're not even a published writer, why would I care what you have to say? Why don't people make pretzel-flavored beer?" Ok, perhaps you're not thinking that last part, and I'm not sure I can answer it. But I can address your other concerns.
First, of all, yes, you do have time to read a blog. And write a blog. And write a book. I'm not writing this to convince only you, but to convince myself as well. I was told long ago that a working man has only time for one passion in his life. And it is true that time constraints limit what you can do - unless your job is your passion, you need to be picky about what you do. But I don't completely believe this. I have 3 real passions in my life: playing guitar, writing, and helping others. I do not believe that I must give them up in order to simply live. Of course, you have to LOVE what it is you pursue, and you show this love by giving up your precious time to it. If you really want to read this blog or write a book or write a symphony or change the world, you need to just stop doing other things and dedicate your time to THAT. And don't make excuses, make solutions. Think of hardships as challenges to overcome which will, in the end, made victory all the sweeter. If you make excuses, you've already failed because you have the wrong mindset.
Secondly, yes, most blogs fail. Just take a look at the blogosphere and look at the sheer number of blogs that have ONE post in them, or the humber that have been abandoned. I am guilty of this! But there are also very successful blogs which have huge readerships and there's NO REASON why this blog cannot become one too.
Finally, I am and am not a published writer. To be a published writer, all you have to do is post on the internet. If you're reading this, that proved that I have been published. But the internet withstanding, I have also been published in several college-level publications, including a newspaper, 2 literary journals, and several articles in a magazine (which was my internship). But in the real sense of the word "published," that is being in print for a consumer to purchase and read, then no, I have not. But that is WHY you should try to read this blog.
If you love to write and want to become a writer as well, think of this blog as a series of lessons - Authorship 101. I will use this blog to update the internet (and, no, I have no illusions that I have a great audience at the moment) on my attempts to get published. First I should set aside some rules:
Rule number 1:
Writers write. I must try to write SOMETHING every day - something that is NOT related to my work. It may be a blog post, it may be short, or it may just be notes on research I am doing for my project, but I must write.
Rule number 2:
Publish or die. This axiom has been adopted by professors around the world. I will adopt it as well. Once I have a finished manuscript, I must send it off to publishers until I either get accepted or it has been rejected no less than 20 times.
Rule number 3:
Adopt, Adapt, and Improve. If something isn't working, change it. If my manuscript is rejected 20 times, perhaps it is time to gut it and recycle the parts into something that does work. If I get distracted too easily, I need to find out how to prevent this. If I find I don't have time, I must make time. If I laugh while drinking bubble tea, what comes out my nose?
Rule number 4:
Have fun. This is, after all, a passion. If I don't enjoy it, why am I doing it? Unless, of course, I am changing the world or helping others (which I do enjoy). If there is some part of the process of becoming a professional writer that I don't enjoy, I need to find out why not and address the issue, or just figure out how to do it faster and more efficiently so that I get back to the parts I do enjoy.
Rule number 5:
No excuses. "I was too tired to write," "my cat threw up on my computer," "I just died." All excuses, no matter how valid, are detrimental to pursuing your dreams. I cannot let any excuse stop me from going after my dreams.
Finally, Rule number 6:
If I find that I need another rule, I will make it.
For now, I will leave you, dear Blogosphere, to return to your regularly scheduled distractions and will return on the morrow.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment