To make it as a writer, or indeed as anything, you need to be hungry for it. You need to be prepared to sacrifice, work and scrabble to get what you want. That golden apple is there, close enough to see, and you have to be willing to do pretty much anything in order to get it.
For me, I already know I sacrifice to get my writing time. I'm a busy person, what with a full time job and two young kids, but I'm determined to make a career out of writing in the end, so I get up at 5:30am in order to get that extra hour and a half of writing time. it means I often only get 5 hours sleep, but it's worth it.
I also don't go out much. Luckily my work is quite social so I don't find I miss it all that much. I don't watch TV often either. Once the kids are in bed, I might spend an hour or so sitting around with my partner, watching TV or chatting, but once 8.30 rolls around, it's writing time again.
What have you sacrificed for your dream? Are you hungry for success?
I'm hungry, for sure. My sacrifices come mainly from my family, which makes me feel so guilty sometimes. I feel like I get so wrapped up in my story world that I ignore them at times, and I have to keep reminding myself that my kids will only be babies once (3yo and 11 mo right now). Plus, my husband feels a little snubbed sometimes too. It's a hard balancing act.
ReplyDeleteWe knew when my husband took the job that he did that I'd need to go back to work at some point (I'm a teacher). Now is when I should be looking for a teaching job, but I'm right at the edge. The ccards are maxed out, and we drive OLD pos cars, but I'm right on the edge of making enough to keep us afloat.
ReplyDeleteSo, yeah. I could have gone back to teaching, but I'm giving this another year or two. In the meantime, we keep driving old cars and eating lots of ramen noodles...
I'm hungry to write. I do what you do, get up early, go to bed late. I've always tried to go to bed when The Engineer does, but sometimes I'm on such a roll I just can't stop. It's a balancing act, but it's a fun one. I have their support and their patience.
ReplyDeleteTina @ Life is Good
Co-Host of the April A to Z Challenge
Twitter: @AprilA2Z #atozchallenge
Yeah, balancing family and writing is a hard one. I never feel like I get it quite right, but as long a my kids are happy, I figure I'm not doing too badly.
ReplyDeleteYes - hungry. But I try to fulfill myself in other ways so that I don't lose the magic. Obsession for published success can definitely be detrimental if you lose sight of the real reasons you write.
ReplyDeleteI'm also an early morning writer - getting up at 5 rather than 6 to get an hour in.
I've definitely sacrificed for my art, but boy am I hungry for it. I want to be published so bad I can taste it. And if it doesn't happen soon...ugh.
ReplyDeleteGreat post and happy A-Z blogging!
I wish I could sacrifice sleep like that... I've tried with poor results. I've definitely sacrificed on the going out and TV, though.
ReplyDeleteI applaud you for the sacrifices you make for your writing. You deserve every success that comes your way.
ReplyDeleteI'm certainly hungry to succeed as a writer and having read your post I may consider cutting down on sleep to get more time.
Great post. Good luck with the rest of the challenge :)