Where do people (non-writers) get the idea that writing is a glamorous and lucrative career? For most of us, it is emphatically not. I would have earned more as an optical scientist or by selling term life insurance. That I did not take those or other sane paths speaks to my deficiencies, not strengths.
Never mind about the financial up-and-downs (and mostly downs), let’s talk about the emotional aspect of being a writer. Writing is an inherently solitary act; it really cannot be done effectively in a sea of distractions (for most people).
Commercial writing relies upon public consumption and word-of-mouth reviews to reach those consumers, yet many writers have to be some of the most emotionally fragile people I have ever met. We can’t roll up in a ball when we get a bad review, nor should we engage the reviewer. We gotta roll with it. I tend to look at books that other one-star reviewers have actually liked, and sometimes that gives me a startlingly smug sense of moral and/or intellectual superiority – but I know it’s sour grapes, in the end.
When it all gets too much and I feel like I am going to break apart if I see one more 28-book backlist from a romance author who started around the same time I did, that’s when I derail the pity party. Break out the dark chocolate. Go do art. Or often, I just go to a tumblr page from someone who is really, truly in the business – and doesn’t sugar coat it. It makes me feel oddly happy, seeing a successful writer skewering the myths and tropes and everyday disasters that the rest of us daydream about experiencing.
Go here to see for yourself: http://authorlife.tumblr.com/
Why am I blathering about all this right now?
Because in a couple of days, the names of the finalists for the 2014 EPIC Awards will be named – some of the best of the best digital books published in the last year. To be fair, like the Rainbow Awards, this is a contest that authors and publishers must pay nominal fees to enter. I have no problem with entry fees to reputable contests, and never have. The EPICs are a big one.
I threw my hat into the ring, for my odd cross-genre space opera Moro’s Price. I have no idea how I’ll fare, or if I managed to disqualify my entry. But like a lottery ticket, this is a vicarious thrill I’m going to enjoy while I can.
Update: well, I didn’t place this year, but it was still a fun experience. I’m happy for all the finalists, especially for those I know. Here’s the finalist roster.