Reality - Keeping Me Grounded Since 1982

Earlier this week Editorial Ass blogged about "The Reasons to Make Your Delivery Date", and I have to admit, they're all pretty damn good reasons. Who doesn't want reviews, blurbs, audio rights deals, publicity events, etc.?

For authors like myself (the unpublished ones) I love articles like this. They open up a world that without the Internet would remain a mystery. I enjoyed one comment on the blog in particular by Jamie:

"This is so frustrating to someone trying to break into the publishing industry. Here we sit, working our asses off to try to get our books read by agents, and that author's got it ALL!

How about you let one of us living in query hell right now give her a call... maybe remind her how easily replaced she is? :)"

Yes, this comment made me smile too. I get that deadlines are scary and writing under pressure can feel impossible. You had a lifetime to dream and write your first book, and now your second is expected in months - eek!

But still, how awesome is that? You made it. Writing is your legitimate profession. It's your job. I think the problem is that some people are in love with the concept of being a writer, but don't understand what the job actually entails.

It's like people who dream about moving across the country or becoming entrepreneurs. These dreams are their "happy places". But at the end of the day, life is still life, no matter where you live or where you work. It's fun to try and romanticize it all, but don't forget the reality - no matter what your dreams are, reality will be there right beside you. And to me, that's a good thing.