Do you remember the joy you felt the first time you wrote a piece of fiction? Did you, like I, become so immersed in the world of your characters that you wrote in your sleep?
I still love to write, but I have learned so much about the business side of things that I seldom feel that original, pure, unbridled joy that I did the first time I sat down at my computer to try my hand at fiction. In the back of my mind there are tiny but niggling thoughts, such as “what market will this fit?” or, “will this appeal to a wide audience?” And I am NEVER without that infernal internal editor who sits on my shoulder and watches my grammar, spelling and punctuation.
Sometimes I SO long for that feeling to come back. But it’s hard to unknow what you’ve learned, and just as hard to constantly be switching hats from world creator to businesswoman, especially when that’s what you’ve been all your life, but I’m working on learning how to do just that.
And I bet there are a million people sitting in cubicles in high rise office buildings, or working on a factory assembly line who wish they had these kinds of problems.
All In a Day's Work 
Posted by FTS on March 8, 2006 at 11:52 am
I’ve never tried my hand at fiction. I find real life to be quite humorous most of the time. ;)
I went from self-employment to employee to facilitate my move. I intend to return to it as soon as feasibly possible; once you’ve worked for yourself it’s hard to work for someone else again.
Posted by denisekincy on March 8, 2006 at 11:57 am
I know exactly what you mean, FTS. I was bitten by the freedom bug back in 1990 when I sold life insurance and only had to report in on Tuesdays and Fridays. In 1993 I started my own small niche advertising business and worked from home, made good money, enough to live comfortably anyway and did that for ten years before I decided to shuck it all and write. Once you have been your own boss, it’s next to impossible to work for someone else.
Posted by Cin on March 9, 2006 at 11:58 am
Wish I had those problems? Uh, ya. Don’t get me wrong. I do love the job I have here; it’s what I was hoping to land for years. But, it’s funny how just a couple of years later, I start getting more serious about my writing, and … well … now I don’t have the time I want to fully devote to it.
I’m doing what I’m doing for a reason – I get that – just seems like my timing is always off.
Posted by denisekincy on March 12, 2006 at 3:17 pm
Maybe not. Maybe it wasn’t time for writing until now. Who knows? You could get published by Harlequin and say to hell with it all, quit your job and become a romance novelist! If I believe in anything, I believe we are the masters of our own destinies.