Read on Twitter
Ever despair, feel down in the dumps, watching all those other writers seemingly whizz by you with sales, agents, dollars, awards?
Ever begin to question why you even write?
Small thread.
Ever begin to question why you even write?
Small thread.
Let me tell you my story.
I started writing probably in fifth or sixth grade, but that's too far back.
I sold my first story in around 1990, to a little (now dead) pub called Eldritch Tales. Made $15. Was thrilled
I started writing probably in fifth or sixth grade, but that's too far back.
I sold my first story in around 1990, to a little (now dead) pub called Eldritch Tales. Made $15. Was thrilled
In the next five years, I sold a flurry of short stories. Three to big paying pro paperback markets. I started writing longer works, novels.
Got a big time NYC agent, the kind you have lunches in Manhattan with. I certainly did.
Got a big time NYC agent, the kind you have lunches in Manhattan with. I certainly did.
You know what happened?
Nothing.
Publishing was kind of falling apart at that moment, with ebooks coming on, and no one knowing precisely what to do.
I got nowhere.
Nothing.
Publishing was kind of falling apart at that moment, with ebooks coming on, and no one knowing precisely what to do.
I got nowhere.
Depressed, I stopped writing.
As I've said elsewhere, this was an incredibly well-thought-out, bad idea.
I stopped writing for seven years.
As I've said elsewhere, this was an incredibly well-thought-out, bad idea.
I stopped writing for seven years.
Fast forward to about 2006. I was 42. I started writing shorts again. Began selling them again, too.
Got more active in the @HWA (highly recommended) and met people.
Put together the stories that would become my novella collection THE END IN ALL BEGINNINGS.
Got more active in the @HWA (highly recommended) and met people.
Put together the stories that would become my novella collection THE END IN ALL BEGINNINGS.
This was about 2013. Was nominated for a Stoker for that. I was 50 years old at the time.
Getting the drift here?
Getting the drift here?
A couple of years ago, I was nominated for another Stoker for my short "A Winter's Tale." I was 54 years old.
And recently, at the age of 57, I sold an anthology to TOR and got another agent.
And recently, at the age of 57, I sold an anthology to TOR and got another agent.
The central idea here is...well, there's two.
First, age isn't a thing. The nice thing about writing is you can continue as long as your faculties hold out. Success at 25 is nice, sure, but let me tell you that success at 57 is just as sweet.
First, age isn't a thing. The nice thing about writing is you can continue as long as your faculties hold out. Success at 25 is nice, sure, but let me tell you that success at 57 is just as sweet.
But really what I want to say here is don't measure yourself against other writers. It's a pathway to feeling bad about what you do.
You do you. Write what you need to write. Whatever comes will come and it will come in its own time, in its own way.
You do you. Write what you need to write. Whatever comes will come and it will come in its own time, in its own way.
If you're writing for riches or awards, you're doing it wrong.
Write for yourself. Not even for readers. Write for yourself. Practice your craft. Readers will come.
Write for yourself. Not even for readers. Write for yourself. Practice your craft. Readers will come.
Success? Well you have to decide what that means for you. But don't measure it with someone else's yardstick.
And despite how long it takes to achieve it, don't believe for a minute that it won't come or that you're too old.
You're not.
And despite how long it takes to achieve it, don't believe for a minute that it won't come or that you're too old.
You're not.
