How many times have you been asked ‘What do you do for a living?’ and received ‘that’ look – you know which look I’m referring to, the one that says, “Oh, I’m sorry. You must be poor.”
Okay, so that last statement might be true for most of us, otherwise they wouldn’t call us ‘starving writers’, right? But how can someone really answer the question above and get the determination, perseverance, and passion we feel within? How can we make an ‘outsider’ understand that it’s a craft we love to do knowing the pay may or may not increase as fast as we want?
The answer: we can’t without turning blue in the face. Why? Because they don’t have the Muse running in their blood like we do. They can’t picture themselves waking up in the middle of the night to jot down notes on a new storyline. They can’t understand why there are notebooks scattered all over the house in each room. They don’t have fictional characters whispering to them – and I hope I’m not the only one who hears characters whispering directions as to the next step in their scene.
Writing is time consuming and there is no time to allow negative energy to enter our space. We need to focus on our writing goals because without our goals there is nothing really pushing us forward.
Here are some quick and simple answers to have on hand:
So are you rich? I mean, are you famous like J. K. Rowling?
I am rich with words and writers are not duplicates of each other.
I don’t get it. I thought you’re published so why can’t I find your books at the bookstore?
Because I chose to offer my books worldwide by offering them on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other online stores instead of just locally.
Your book is an e-book? I don’t get it. You mean I have to sit by the computer to read it?
First off, e-books are instant deliveries and cost less than print books. And with e-readers you save on paper consumption, save our trees, and can store tons of books in just one small device. Saves you luggage space, too, when traveling.
Why do you spend so much time on the computer? Don’t you want to be with your family?
I’m self-employed and can spend time with family whenever I want. Why do you work from nine to five? Don’t you want to spend time with your family?
The answers above might come across as humorous but the truth of the matter is if you don’t cut them down right off these negative forces will continue to hound you. Nip them in the butt and if they continue just turn around and say:
Listen, I don’t profess to be the next Stephen King, Nora Roberts, or whoever you read. I don’t ask how much you make so stop pestering me. I’m only saying that when I do get to that stage I just may forget you were ever my supporting friend.
Then smile, walk away, and let them ponder what you meant by forgetting they were your supporting friend. And when you do make it big, call them, and thank them because without their negative energy you’d never have been pisssed off and motivated as you were to actually make it big.
Searching for a good fictional book for your teen on bullying? Consider Bubba and Giganto.
