What do I get out of all of this. . .?
I'm absolutely in this writing game because my nature demands it. That's the one true motivator behind all of my creative endeavors; it's what drives me to continue to hone my technique and craft, and to (hopefully) continue to evolve and get somewhere near a level of ability that I find almost satisfactory (I don't feel like I'm even close, at this point). I love Spherical Tomi, Dirk Moonfire, The Unsolvable Deathtrap, etc -- don't get me wrong! I've looked back on many completed stories or projects with pride. That's part of the whole author's experience, and it's a wonderful feeling. I just want to get better, and I want my output to get better and better.
All of your wonderful, positive feedback is not meangingless, of course -- quite the contrary! It inspires me like nothing else during the work's more difficult stretches. I feel deeply touched every time I receive a new e-mail or comment from someone who enjoyed something that I've created. (Now would be a good time to say thanks to all of you who've ever sent me compliemntary e-mails! Thank you everyone!!) Connection, praise, feedback, wealth, recognition, fame -- I've been blessed with 4 of those 5 to at least some small, modest degree through my creative output, and call me Hollywood, but they all feel great.
The elusive 5th? Wealth. I enjoy my day job immensely. But still. It would be nice to make a comfortable living through my creative endeavors.
There, I've said it.
My trips to the ATM are sometimes like hitting a slot machine; I push the buttons, but I never know if any money's going to come out. At those moments, I do wonder when James Cameron will show up, bearing huge canvas sacks labeled "$" for the Spherical Tomi movie options.
Sigh....
But even without James Cameron, I'd gladly go on 'til the end of my days improving my craft, writing my stories, and hopefully continuing to receive such nice, complimentary e-mails about them.
I don't think I need to defend my creative integrity, but I suppose I just did anyway. Did this whole rant make any sense at all?
--Afterword--
Read the comments to this one ...
As I explained to JR after he pointed out my inability to count:
"This entire post was the result of a night of very little sleep... Attach spigot to over-tired, cranky brain and let it flow..... And of course, as you noted, I probably should have given it another read before posting :) First rule of writing: don't go forth with your first draft!"
I should edit it and revise the post, but f**k it. I'll just leave it here in all of its raw id glory.
All of your wonderful, positive feedback is not meangingless, of course -- quite the contrary! It inspires me like nothing else during the work's more difficult stretches. I feel deeply touched every time I receive a new e-mail or comment from someone who enjoyed something that I've created. (Now would be a good time to say thanks to all of you who've ever sent me compliemntary e-mails! Thank you everyone!!) Connection, praise, feedback, wealth, recognition, fame -- I've been blessed with 4 of those 5 to at least some small, modest degree through my creative output, and call me Hollywood, but they all feel great.
The elusive 5th? Wealth. I enjoy my day job immensely. But still. It would be nice to make a comfortable living through my creative endeavors.
There, I've said it.
My trips to the ATM are sometimes like hitting a slot machine; I push the buttons, but I never know if any money's going to come out. At those moments, I do wonder when James Cameron will show up, bearing huge canvas sacks labeled "$" for the Spherical Tomi movie options.
Sigh....
But even without James Cameron, I'd gladly go on 'til the end of my days improving my craft, writing my stories, and hopefully continuing to receive such nice, complimentary e-mails about them.
I don't think I need to defend my creative integrity, but I suppose I just did anyway. Did this whole rant make any sense at all?
--Afterword--
Read the comments to this one ...
As I explained to JR after he pointed out my inability to count:
"This entire post was the result of a night of very little sleep... Attach spigot to over-tired, cranky brain and let it flow..... And of course, as you noted, I probably should have given it another read before posting :) First rule of writing: don't go forth with your first draft!"
I should edit it and revise the post, but f**k it. I'll just leave it here in all of its raw id glory.
posted by JackMangan at 12:56 PM
3 Comments:
Connection, praise, feedback, wealth, recognition, fame -- I've been blessed with 4 of those 5
I guess 'rithmetic wasn't one of your 'R' in school.
So I've got a question for you, Jack: What is your output in terms of word count? Do you set goals or just sit and hack out words when it strikes you? Do you have a schedule?
I ask because I used to have trouble writing. It used to be a painful endeavor and just to get started would take hours, sometimes days.
I'm alsu curious, how much do you read compared to how much do you write?
I'm a dumbass, JR.
This entire post was the result of a night of very little sleep... Attach spigot to over-tired, cranky brain and let it flow..... And of course, as you noted, I probably should have given it another read before posting :) First rule of writing: don't go forth with your first draft!
My head exploded from all of those questions, JR. . . ;)
A lot of (though not all) big-name writers preach strict schedules, routines, and daily word count goals. I don't know, man; I believe in the power of inspiration. You can't wait around for it to strike though; sometimes inspiration needs a nudge, and wakes up on its own when you sit down and start banging away. You keep at it, you try different things, and eventually you figure out the right system for you and your life and your creative mind.
I often do Audio/Podiobooks during my commute. . . I read as much as a guy in my situation possibly can. Compared to writing? That's tough to say. . . My schedule varies too widely to put any accurate numbers to that answer. If you don't count the audio stuff, they probably get close to equal portions of my time.
Like your candor jack-everything counts in this cyber circus we live in. Blogs, candy wrappers, ads for drugs to make you thinner and worry less. Why is that any different than sitting down and trying to make sense out of James Joyce?
I don't know about anyone else but if I force myself to sit down the writing just comes-it's just that the chaor seems to be made aout of rradioactive material with tungsten barbs. Focusing and making the decision to do it is the hard part for me.
I don't read much anymore in the conventional sense becaise I've been re-born as a cyber-punk. The screen, the screen.
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