So You Want To Give Up?

[Stark Raving]

I saw this on Neil Gaiman's blog today.
It pertains to writing, but I think it can be applied to anything.

Dear Mr. Gaiman,

I read your advice to the 23 year old writer ('tricia), about how to deal with feeling like a crap writer when you're so young. But what do you do when you're 30? I've written a novel that only my friends want to read (bear in mind, one of those friends is a book editor at a major US paper), but no agent or publisher wants to touch?

What does one do when they can't get a break? I want to write, but no paper will hire me to write. Right now I'm an editor at a website, but I'd barely call it editing. I write screenplays and am working on other prose projects, but I guess what I'm getting at is, should there be a point when one must say "enough is enough. This isn't going anywhere. It's time to stop before this starts to hurt more than I can bear"?

I bear responsibility for my actions as a writer, I know, and I've squandered many chances. I am at a low point, and I'm not sure that words of encouragement will mean anything to me at this point. They don't sound sincere. Overnight success takes years to happen, and I haven't been able to get that groundwork done. Is it worth my time to continue this fool's mission?

Sincerely,
Christopher

You can give up if you like. It's okay. The world won't end. I'm not really sure what being 30 has to do with it, though. Some of my favourite writers barely started being published until they were in their forties.

Sometimes it's a good thing that no-one wants to publish your first novel. I'm really glad nobody wanted to publish mine. There are an awful lot of publishers and agents out there, and I suspect if I'd sent my first novel to more than two publishers someone eventually would have published it. (This would not have been a good thing, but persistence would probably have paid off.)

Writing short stories is often a very good way to learn. And the thrill of seeing a short story in print can keep you going for a while -- and there are certainly paying short story markets out there.

But you can give up, too, if it makes you feel better.

The lady on the plane next to me yesterday explained, when I told her I was a writer, that as a former English Major she had had dreams of being a major novelist, but she was making a living instead, and she hoped to one day have enough free time to write.

And I remembered Gene Wolfe getting up at 5.00 am every day and writing two pages before going in to work, and I told her that if she wanted to be a writer she ought to write. ("It's like most jobs," I told. "It's amazing how much of it just consists of showing up." But she didn't believe me.)

[foxmerquise8]

This is a good pick me up. I was in blah mode concerning writing and life in general. It feels like I'm banging my head against the wall. I'm having a hard time finding people to even read what I write, yet alone collaborators to work with.

I'm only 18 and I'm frustrated, I can't imagine it at 30. In reality though, many (probably even most) writers don't get in until later on in life. O.Henry didn't start until he was 40, he was in jail for three years before that. I believe Joseph Conrad served as a sailor for about 20 years before he started writing.

Then there is Steven King who wrote most of his life, but didn't find success until later on, and that's after the nail that he kept his rejection notes on fell off because of the wait.

This knowledge doesn't make it any easier though. I made a goal to get published by Image by 20 and Tokyo Pop by 21, that seems a little brash now, but I like to aim high and keep the chamber filled with multiple shots.

[Justice41]

Make your own way. Remember that old saying about building a better mouse trap and they will beat a path to your door.
If you believe in and love what you're doing even after failures you'll eventually achieve that goal. Just need that sticktoitetness.

[Inkthinker]

I take some solace in knowing that plenty of really awesome artists and writers didn't really break out until they were much older than myself.

The weight of not KNOWING, the constant stress of wondering if you're just wasting your time even TRYING, is part of any path to success, espescially one that is largely travelled alone (as it is so often for artists).

If you can't carry that weight, then don't play.

In the end, I think, for most of us who have any measure of success in this business of drawing pictures for people, there's never really a question of doing anything else. Drawing is what I DO, it's what I'd do even if I couldn't make a living at it. I find it hard to believe that if it's something you do every day, I mean really try and draw something good, even if it's just a page of doodles or even just ONE doodle on a napkin, every day... then you DO it. You've been doing it, and you'll keep it up.

And you study, and practice, and improve until you reach a level where you can be rewarded for it both personally and financially. It's not easy, but if you get into art because you think it's an easy way to make a living, then you need to stop now, anyway.

[red7ine]

At the Kubert school, one kid had a rather traumatic experience with Neal Adams at a convention, who told them that if they were not at a professional level by the age of 17, they would never realistically EVER be at a pro level. This really screwed the guy's confidence for a few weeks.

and before any diehard Neal Adams fans take umbrage, it's just a second-hand story that I heard directly from the kid 2 days after the con. Not beating the man up or anything.

[Justice41]

I say take up golf. It will teach you the same lessons you'll need to persevere. It's a one man/woman sport and only with practice and self discipline will you ever enjoy the game. Sounds like being an artist to me.

[sdowner]

Much as I love Neal's work, that's probably bull.
+this thread should be stickied as The Inspiration Thread.

[Juan2.0]

It's not easy, but if you get into art because you think it's an easy way to make a living, then you need to stop now, anyway.

Damn bro...why didn't you tell me this like 10 years ago...

[red7ine]

Much as I love Neal's work, that's probably bull.
+this thread should be stickied as The Inspiration Thread.

oh, I totally agree. I think it's rather prickish of him to have said that to somebody who was actively pursuing their dream.

[Juan2.0]

oh, I totally agree. I think it's rather prickish of him to have said that to somebody who was actively pursuing their dream.

Sounds like he didn't like the kid for whatever reason...when I was 17 all I thought about was chasing tits and ass...not sitting at a table drawing for 12 hours a day.