It's funny how life works. There have been so many changes in my life lately - new job, financial adjustments, more free time - that I almost feel as if I'm in a different world. I've spent a LOT less time playing poker or writing, even though I've actually got MORE time to do those things... wtf?
I got an email from an old friend this morning, James France, James and I go way back - we met in 1994, just before the Springboks won their first World Cup Rugby tournament. In his email, James goes on to mention that he had been following my blog. Say what? I was completely surprised, as I genuinely assumed I was just writing this for myself, lol. Anyway, the subject under discussion was advice on writing. It felt great sharing my experience with James, who is 13000 words into his first novel. It was also a gentle reminder that I needed to pull up my socks and get back into the game with some determination!
In my response to James, the most important aspect was that you KEEP WRITING. It doesn't matter if your books don't sell. It doesn't matter if you don't get reviews. It doesn't matter if you don't get offered a publishing contract. The mere act of writing itself should be reward enough. If any of the above are going to happen, you only improve your chances by having more words out there. They say you can't catch a fish without a line in the water, well you can't be a successful writer without words in the digital universe. And let's be clear, there are many definitions of the term "successful writer", and most of them have nothing to do with money.
Thank you, James, for the kick in the pants. Let's hope it bears fruits... like both you and I finishing our current writing projects!
Aces! Wayne.
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