Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Following Your Dream

For years I knew I should be writing. It’s not that I’m a great writer. It’s that writing gives me the greatest, most consistent joy in life and when I’m joyful I spread that out into the world. When I’m writing, I do good things.

It took me years to begin to write seriously and many more years to find the type of writing that truly made me happy. For a long time, I thought that waiting so long to make my dream come true was a bad thing. Now, with the wisdom that comes with maturity, I realize that I just didn’t have that much to say early on.

In 2004, instead of looking for a job in my old career path that had lead me to making over $100K annually, I took a reporter’s position for $10 an hour. Really! I decided that I would finally commit to writing for a living no matter what it took. That led to a job a year later as the editor of another small paper – also pretty low pay.

What did I get out of taking what seemed like a step backwards to almost everyone I knew? I learned who I was as a writer. I found out I can write great editorials. I found out that I’m pretty prolific – at about 1000 words an hour. I found out I didn’t want to be a reporter anymore. Or an editor.

The next job I took, the one I currently have, I took on the theory that it was less stressful than management or the news biz, and I would therefore have more energy to write when I got home. Well…not so much. But in the past three years, I have finished two books. One I shelved voluntarily, because I just didn’t like the main character and the other, Red Mojo Mama, was a delight to write.

I fell in love with my main character, Lydia “Red” Talbot. She became so real to me that now I blog with her as my verbal sparing partner. She does the things I cannot do. She is the person I’m striving to be.

So, now, I’m a struggling writer with no retirement plan and an eye out for a more creative job. (No worries, my boss knows.) Would I change anything? Would I go back to the higher paying job? What about the powerful position of editor?

Straight up? No way. I’d rather be poor(ish because I know I’m not poor compared to so many others) than to not have pursued my dream. I have faith that someday, my books (two more in the works right now) will be bought and read. It’s actually more important to me that they are read. I want the world to know my characters. I want them to come alive.

So, if I had one piece of advice for other writers – anyone really – it would be FOLLOW YOUR DREAM. It’s really the only way to go.

What is your dream? What have you done to pursue it?


Buy “Red Mojo Mama” here!

25 comments:

  1. I love this post, Red! In my career I never made as much money as you did, but I am so happy, thrilled, blessed to now be following my dream. There's nothing like it!

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  2. Often I think of writing on the lines of being a teacher or social worker. Sometimes the pay can be decent, but really, individuals go into fields such as that out of love.

    Wonderful post.

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  3. I have bookmarked this blog for motivation. I love it :)

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  4. Thanks for sharing your story!
    I hope that you can continue to pursue your dream!
    Mine is to be able to make a living from my art... we'll see how it goes! I'm working on it :)

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  5. Red,
    Melody said it well with, "I have bookmarked this blog for motivation. I love it...
    So do I - I know that when one follows their call everything else is taken care of - for those who fail to follow, there isn't enough money to fill the subsequent void.
    Yours to count on,
    Bert

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  6. That was a good 'nudge' post. So nice to know we're not alone out there in wanting to follow our calling. I too would rather be broke (which I am right now) and have pen and paper for company than know I'm stuck on the wrong path. I managed to slow my world down long enough to change gear and direction!
    Kzee :)

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  7. Red,

    This is an inspiring post, I'm so glad you connected with me via Twitter! You're telling my story here, the story I'm chronicling on my blog, my effort to reconnect with the writer and creative in me. That path can entail some significant financial sacrifices, as you know. Keep up the good work, and I'll follow your story on this blog.

    Patrick

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  8. I'm so happy that people are relating to this post. The day I wrote it I was aware of several people on Twitter struggling to keep going.

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  9. Great post: I've been at that point and shied away from it, and now I'm getting to that point again. I just want to say I'm a writer when people ask what I do.

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  10. This is so wonderful. I always feel like I can't easily follow my dreams yet because I'm so young. I'm only twenty, not out of college, and am not established in a career. I know I want to write, but that's all I know.

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  11. Joanne - Get yourself some business cards and have them say "Freelance Write". It will help you believe in yourself and your future. Then start writing - whatever. Start a blog - that really helps. Thanks so much for your comment!

    Ashley - Knowing that you want to write is 90% of it. Really. You'll make it happen. Same advice as to Joanne - start a blog - it's like exercising - you're giving your writing muscles a workout. Thank you so much for stopping by, ladies.

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  12. Great post! I am not a writer nor do I wish to be. But I totally understand your willingness to do a job with less pay because you would rather do something you love rather than earn bigger bucks.

    I'm like that right now. I have a wonderful job and it pays well. I'm content. In my company, there are many opportunities to move up and I keep getting gentle pushes to do so. But if I do, that means more work and that would translate to less time doing my book review hobby. Its more of a passion than a hobby really.

    Great post and I'm your newest GFC follower.

    MichelleKCanada @AnotherLookBook
    http://anotherlookbookreviews.blogspot.com/

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  13. So glad to know this post is here so that I can reread it on the days where all I want to do is chuck my laptop out my third story apartment. Writing is a tough gig. It comes with lousy pay, ridiculous hours, demanding yet unreliable clients, and shaky futures.

    But we love it. So we do it. That won't change.

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  14. Trav - welcome and so glad it helped in some way. It is tough! But we can never, ever give up or give in. Thanks for your comment!

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  15. Great post! Thank you for sharing. I really needed to hear this right now to remind me of why I decided to pursue my dream in the first place.

    ~TC

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  16. If you really, really want to be a writer, first you have to get yourself a good wife. Or husband, but I naturally feel that wives are nicer and far less trouble. Then you can beaver away all day at creating, and she (or he) can work for the daily bread.

    Or get yourself very rich parents (that might be easier than finding a good wife to support your muse).

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  17. I couldn't agree more. People who don't follow their dreams are generally not very happy people. I am going for mine with everything I've got. I have my musical "Room to Grow" up on kickstarter, and I am getting ready to publish my first novel.

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  18. I cannot even begin to tell you how beautiful this post is! Thank you so much for putting it out there. I am just beginning my journey as an actual writer and now that I have found something that makes me feel so good, so full, so complete...I cannot imagine ever giving it up. It is ingrained in my blood, though I think just dormant until recently, and brings so much joy. Thank you! =^)

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  19. This post has been so popular. I think it's because we all need to know we're going the right direction. There are so many forces at work out there, telling us differently. "Get an accounting degree", "You've really got to be good to make it as a writer", etc. BTW - few writers start out good. You have to write your way to that position. Keep on dreaming folks. It's the only way.

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  20. Thanks for posting this. All of it is floating around in my head right now. Decisions, decisions!

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  21. Wow! Thank you for the encouragement... I've been going back and forth on writing my story for almost 2 years now... and this is something very positive to read when I'm writing, its got gumption you know, it tells you to keep going!

    Thanks again!!

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  22. I love coming back and reading the comments on this post. I just re-read it myself. The reactions give me faith that we can't go wrong if we're true to our dreams. Dream on, friends, and keep the faith.

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  23. Very inspiring Red! I love the way you dove in there and followed your dream. It helps me stay on the path in doing the same. Thanks. It’s always good to hear others following their calling.

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  24. You Gained more than you gave up. No amount of money can buy happiness! Great job! I love writing too. I want to do it full time...now to pay off all this debt!

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  25. Merry Christmas to all you lovely dreamers. Without dreams there's nothing to come true. Thanks for visiting!

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