THE MISTAKE OF MY LIFE
When I was very young--in my late teens and early twenties--I had some success with my writing (poems and short stories). I decided to make a career of creative writing and pursued it aggressively through college, grad school and beyond. In order to finance my passion I worked a wide and dismal variety of jobs, mainly as a receptionist for a number of different companies. I managed to get an agent and completed a novel that I thought was terrible but my agent seemed to think it held promise. We submitted it all over New York to no avail. Meanwhile, I placed in the finals of a couple of major literary contests--close but no cigar. Throughout this time, I considered returning to school and changing careers to something that engaged my mind and my soul, but I was on a kind of work treadmill, with bills and responsibilities, and so continued at my original administrative work. I failed miserably, both as a writer and as a receptionist--I was fired from something like eleven or twelve jobs in a row. I simply could NIT keep my mind on my work. It was far too boring and stagnating. If I had it to do over again I'd do something entirely different and wouldn't have wasted thirty years being semi-miserable and exhausted every fucking day of my precious life. Let this be a warning to aspiring writers out there: DON'T DO IT. IT'S NOT WORTH IT.
I'm a creative type too. I dropped out of college to become a cartoonist. I scraped by but eventually, like years later, I got a great gig that led to another better paying gig. Then another. Then another. Each new job was better than the last. Now I'm 59 and unemployed but I'm optimistic a new great job is coming.
Max, don't give up. I won't say it's all gonna be great. Some times will be crappy. Don't give up your dreams. Write or create in you favorite way every day. Even for 15 minutes at a time. These little creative breaks add up over time.
Just because one novel didn't pan out doesn't mean it's the last one in you. Get another BETTER agent. You've already done more than most people.
To have such a talent is so great !!! I too wish for more education to be a better writer myself ... maybe try to get a poem published in a Chicken Soup For the Soul book series... not much but definitely a good start if you succeed in getting the author to put 1 of your poems in his/her book :)
I agree. I have a BFA in animation. All I got for my trouble is massive unemployment and massive student debt. At that age I should have started a business instead. Now thanks to my debt. I can't start one.
I disagree with you it is never a mistake to go after your dreams. You still have the opportunity to try again with your writing.
If you could go back to talk to yourself at the beginning of your writing career, what would you say?
THANKS EVERYONE FOR ALL OF YOUR COMMENTS! IT MEANS A GREAT DEALTO ME TO HEAR BOTH SIDES AND TO KNOW THAT OTHER FOLKS OUT THERE IN THE ARTS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME THING. GOD BLESS!