As many have said before, writing is a solitary profession. It can be lonely and depressing and--because the industry is such a non-stop-ever-changing-roller-coaster-ride--frustrating. That's why a writer needs to have friends. Not just your regular, everyday kind of friend, but writer friends. Friends who writer. No one else--not even your husband or mom or best friend since high school--will ever truly understand what you're going through.
You have to write a book to understand what it's like to have a character do something you didn't want them to do, or to know how bad it is when you get to page two-fifty and your bad guy suddenly dies. You have to have submitted your soul--aka your book--to contests and agents and editors to understand the kind of gut-wrenching emotion you feel when you find that reply in your mailbox or inbox. You have to have sold a book to understand that writing the book is only the beginning, that soon after there follows: revisions, second revisions, line-editing, copyediting, page-proofing, bio-writing, websites, MySpace, advertising, booksignings, speaking engagements, networking, proposals, option books, contracts, rejections, and million other things that suddenly take time away from writing--and I haven't even gotten to the stuff that happens after the book comes out!
So, this Thanksgiving season, I am beyond thankful for the other authors who have made my life a saner place:
- The members of RWA (Romance Writers of America) -- This is one of the best writing groups out there. Nine-thousand aspiring and published authors (not all write romance) who don't hesitate to share information.
- The members of West Houston RWA (my local chapter) -- When I went to my very first RWA meeting four years ago, the ladies of West Houston warmly welcomed me into their fold. They are the reason I moved back to Houston, after all, because I couldn't imagine a better group anywhere.
- The members of the BuzzBlog -- My sisters in YA. We're sharing this journey together and I can't imagine a better group to walk arm-in-arm into this crazy career.
Hugs,
TLC
OH. MY. GODS. (Dutton) May 2008
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6 comments:
What a sweet post! I feel very lucky to have you too! And those West Houston chicks are awesome. I wish I didn't live so far away! :)
I feel so grateful to my writer-friends, too, who really do understand the insanity that this career entails. Thanks for this blog post, Tera, and for being one of the stars who lights up my sky!
Tera,
You are so right about this! I am very grateful for my writing friends, especially Tina, one of your very own the Buzz Girls. I can't wait to see all the Buzz Girls again!
Janie
TLC, I agree...RWA and the Buzz girls are a Godsend!
Thanks, Janie, and back attacha!
Awww...great post, TLC! Having special writing friends (like you gals) is priceless.
Hugs!
Marley = )
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