It's easy to get discouraged as a writer. Some of the questions we ask ourselves on a daily basis: Will anyone ever read my work, or will it be constantly rejected by publishers? Will I be forced to self-publish in order for others to read what I've written? Does anyone care about what I have to say?
If we as writers dwell on these questions, we will never get anything written at all. So, I've decided to set all of these unanswerable questions aside. I've decided to concentrate on what really matters: the craft of writing.
When it really comes down to the heart of the matter (in my case, that is), we should write because it makes us happy. It gives us a sense of fulfillment. It helps us understand who we are and how we relate to the world around us. It isn't about publication (or it shouldn't be), and it isn't about money. It's about the love and passion of writing.
I feel like the snobs of the literary world ruin the thrill of writing for those of us without agents and publishers. Who are they to tell us that our work isn't worthy? Many literary critics aren't even writers. They're readers. So what do they really know about the craft of writing, unless they've studied the craft themselves?
I have a B.A. in English and I am currently working on my M.A. in American and English literature, but that doesn't mean that I have the right to slam someone else's work because it doesn't suit my personal tastes. A degree doesn't necessarily qualify a person to critique.
If you write, write for the love of it. Write because you must. Write because you can't rest if you don't write. Forget the critics. Forget the publishers and agents. Your writing is all you, and no one has the right to tell you that you aren't good enough. Work hard. Keep learning. Keep reading. Keep writing, in spite of how you feel or what others think or say. Write for the sake of writing, and you'll find peace.
If we as writers dwell on these questions, we will never get anything written at all. So, I've decided to set all of these unanswerable questions aside. I've decided to concentrate on what really matters: the craft of writing.
When it really comes down to the heart of the matter (in my case, that is), we should write because it makes us happy. It gives us a sense of fulfillment. It helps us understand who we are and how we relate to the world around us. It isn't about publication (or it shouldn't be), and it isn't about money. It's about the love and passion of writing.
I feel like the snobs of the literary world ruin the thrill of writing for those of us without agents and publishers. Who are they to tell us that our work isn't worthy? Many literary critics aren't even writers. They're readers. So what do they really know about the craft of writing, unless they've studied the craft themselves?
I have a B.A. in English and I am currently working on my M.A. in American and English literature, but that doesn't mean that I have the right to slam someone else's work because it doesn't suit my personal tastes. A degree doesn't necessarily qualify a person to critique.
If you write, write for the love of it. Write because you must. Write because you can't rest if you don't write. Forget the critics. Forget the publishers and agents. Your writing is all you, and no one has the right to tell you that you aren't good enough. Work hard. Keep learning. Keep reading. Keep writing, in spite of how you feel or what others think or say. Write for the sake of writing, and you'll find peace.
