Right now I feel quite blessed in life. I have a new job where people appreciate me, a new car that's all shiny and reliable, good relationships with the people I care about, and a plan for the future that is exciting and wonderful. But I'm working harder than I ever have in my life. I'm exhausted on a daily basis and have no down time to ever recover. All because I write.
And it's not even the fun stuff of making up stories. I'm editing. I'm querying agents. I'm researching fonts and trim sizes, studying marketing and building my platform. I'm doing all the things necessary to be a successful author, knowing that even such a title means still having to work another job. All of that on top of the normal things that everyone else in life has to do. It's hard.
I'm not saying to this to ask for any pity. I'm lucky to have such hardships compared to the real difficulties that many people face in life. I'm privileged and I know it. But my life would be much easier if I gave up on the writing. I've been rejected many times in many ways, the world seeming to suggest I should give up the writing. I could just stop and no one would blame me - or even notice.
But I won't. I'll keep writing. Because I've come to realize how much perseverance is the main trait to separate the successful from the could-have-been. I have so much respect and admiration for those who keep at it, whether they've found that success or not, and not a little pride in the fact I'm one of them. I could live an easy life, but what would happen to my stories? Who would tell them? Who would hear them?
I'm a writer, and writing is hard. For all of us. But it's worth it, so write on!
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