Journal Entry #13: "Writing As A Lifestyle"

Journal Entry #13: "Writing As A Lifestyle"

I heard Philip Roth being interviewed yesterday. He is a Pulitzer Prize winning novelist and very successful writer now in his late 70's. Interestingly, when asked if he had his life to live over again whether he would choose to write again, he said he would not.

Writing, he explained, is a monumentally difficult task. It is a profession in which no one can help you. According to Roth, you have to reach deep inside yourself in order to pull out a novel and the beginning can be monumentally frustrating. He described the first six months of writing a novel as a matter of trying to assemble something substantial out of fragments. And when you are finished, he continued, you have to start over again with nothing. He also discussed the very solitary nature of the work. Writers spend a great deal of time alone. Many live in poverty before they get their start.

On the other hand there are many attractive dimensions to the job. Successful writers become very well known (Dan Brown once boarded a plane having left behind his driver's license when the man behind him in line was able to show the security guard Brown's author photo in The Da Vinci Code). They appear on television and the radio. They travel and set their own work schedules. They get to meet and socialize with other famous and influential people.

What do you think about the writer's lifestyle? How much of it appeals to you? Which aspects least appeal to you? Can you envision yourself doing the job? Describe how writing might either fit into your lifestyle or become your lifestyle in the future.

The writer’s lifestyle is indeed a unique and interesting one. It is certainly one that would not appeal to everyone, for a variety of reasons. Like what was stated above, writing can be an extremely difficult task, and not everyone is cut out for it. People will get an idea in their head, and decide "I could write a book about that," then get 30 pages in, and come to the harsh realization of "I can’t write a book about that." It requires a lot of passion and determination, as writing has the potential to be one of the most frustrating experiences one will ever have to deal with. "Writer’s block," be it real or just an "urban myth," is beyond aggravating at times. On the other hand, writing could become extremely beneficial, such as the previously mentioned case of Dan Brown, who is both well-known (though not by me until now, I must confess), and no doubt excessively wealthy.

I think the writer’s lifestyle is a great lifestyle, and one that would appeal to me very much. I just like the idea of creating something that is entirely unique and my own. It would be great, having that free flow of ideas and actually being able to craft something remarkable out of it. I also don’t mind spending long periods of time in a rather solitary nature, a trait I’ve discovered in myself which is gradually become a larger part of my life (not to say I’m becoming anti-social by any means).

However, with the aspects that appeal to me about this lifestyle, there are also aspects that are slightly less appealing to me. The first is more of a personal flaw rather than a flaw in the lifestyle itself. In my (limited) writing experience, I have discovered that my perfectionist qualities tend to shine through. In every piece of free written poetry that I’ve submitted for this class (sonnets included) is some sort of flaw I’ve found in it, something I’m dissatisfied with. However, due to sheer inability to improve upon them, I will include them to my dismay, as I rarely omit lines. I view that as a potential downfall of me as an author. It would be extremely irritating to not be entirely satisfied with anything I’ve written, constantly having to improve upon it. While that would ultimately lead to a better finished product, I imagine I would just never be entirely satisfied. How would I be able to submit a book for potential publishing if I find flaws every few pages? This is a trait I hope I am able to come to terms with. In addition to this, my mind is always working, and coming up with new ideas. I find that I try to include all of these ideas in my writing, which can sometimes distract from what I’m trying to say.

One key unappealing aspect of being a writer is how well known these authors truly become as people. I find that most authors aren’t known, their books are. I didn’t know who Dan Brown was, yet I knew what The Da Vinci Code was. This is the case with many books, as I could name dozens of books, yet only a few authors. I don’t like the idea of not being known for what I’ve done, though that may sound selfish. Also, not to sound greedy, but in most cases, the lifestyle is very unrewarding financially. An author is a drop in the ocean, a face in the crowd. There are thousands like them, with similar ideas, and most only achieve minor success. How am I supposed to stand out enough to actually make a living off of this, when I’m just a drop in the ocean? I’m also very dissatisfied with the idea of not having a popular book, purely because I would have put so much effort into the book, only to have few people read it. That being said, by no means would I write strictly to be remembered, or to get famous. I would write because I want to. But it's like talking in a crowded room, you feel like no one hears what you have to say.

With all that negativity being said, it would seem that I do not want to be an author. Yet, in all honesty, I can still envision myself doing this job, though it would likely be forced to find it’s own place in my life. I feel that I would not be able to support myself enough financially to have it consume my life entirely, though I would try to make it as big of a part of my life as possible. I am determined to write a novel in my life, and while it would be great to be able to write it (and other things) and live off the profits of what I’ve written, I can’t see it happening. But who am I to predict the future? Anything is possible.