Cat's Corner

If you believe everything you see in the movies, your mental image of what a writer's life is like is probably a vision of leisure and glamour. You probably see yourself spending your days relaxing with your laptop in the park, a serene smile lighting up your face as pure gold pours from your fingertips. You probably also see yourself being published and making tons of money because you've been published. Chances are you definitely see yourself being the envy of everyone who knows you, because who doesn't envy someone who gets to make tons of money expressing themselves all day long.

However, the reality is that unless you are one of a very small handful of people out there, this is not what your life as a writer will be like. Being a writer is a lot of hard work, and it certainly has its "downs" just as well as it has its "ups". Don't get me wrong, because a writer's life can be a wonderful and fulfilling one. It just isn't quite the life of ease and effortlessness that Hollywood has made it out to be.

MYTH: Writers make tons of money by simply sharing the fruits of their imagination and expressing themselves however they please.

REALITY: Maybe some writers are lucky enough to be doing this, but I can assure you that this isn't typical. The writer's market is a very competitive one, and your average writer doesn't necessarily pull in a gargantuan paycheck when they sell a piece. Most certainly never make enough money from their writing to quit their day jobs unless they manage to land a regular gig that earns them a decent sized salary. There are even fewer that are able to do so by writing whatever they feel like. More often than not, and certainly at first, you will find that you are often forced to make a choice between writing what moves you and writing what brings in a paycheck.

MYTH: All you have to do to become a published novelist is write and submit a great piece of work. The rest takes care of itself.

REALITY: There are tons of wonderful novels out there that will never be picked up by a publisher or receive the attention they deserve. If a publisher doesn't see a novel as a potential money maker with probable mass appeal, they won't take it on. This isn't to say that you shouldn't keep doing what you love or trying to get published. Even positively stellar writers could probably paper a wall with the number of rejection slips they received before a publisher finally gave their book the green light. Just remember that the publishing business is still a business the same as any other, and as such, they want to make money. Writing great material is only half the battle. The other half is in being able to sell yourself, as well as your writing, strategically and successfully.

MYTH: All published novelists make tons of money from their books, wind up rich and famous, and never have to work a day job again.

REALITY: Unless you are among the "very small handful of people" mentioned earlier, this isn't the case. Getting picked up by a publisher is only the beginning of a book's long journey, and it doesn't come with any guarantees. Not all published novels sell millions of copies, become best-sellers, or wind up being considered modern classics. Actually, most of them don't. The average book doesn't stay in print indefinitely or get a ton of publicity. It certainly doesn't turn its writer into an instant millionaire the way the movies can make it seem.

MYTH: If you choose to become a professional writer, you will instantly become the envy of everyone you know.

REALITY: Unless you're lucky enough to have unusually supportive friends and family, probably most of the people you know won't take your writing as seriously as you do. They may be encouraging and supportive, but chances are they will also think of your writing as more of a hobby. They almost certainly won't see it as a real job that should be thought of as such unless your time spent writing means you actually punch a time clock somewhere, or at least bring home a substantial and regular paycheck because of it.

Most people I've known who have decided they'd like to be even part-time professional writers really aren't prepared for it to be such hard work. They're surprised to find out that getting published, or becoming successful in the field in general, is about more than just dreaming up a couple of cool characters and using them to tell a heck of a story. The fact of the matter is that it also requires the ability to market yourself and make wise decisions, and it definitely requires perseverance and dedication. A writer's life can be a wonderful life full of delights and accomplishments to be proud of, but it's also a life of that requires diligence and patience.