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Facts of a Writer's Life
by Mridu Khullar

So, you dream of becoming a famous writer? You want to get that article on paper as soon as possible and see it published. You've got great ideas for a book that you'll be starting any day now. But do you know what it's really like to lead a writer's life? Read on to find out.

1. Rejection is a part of life. Face it. You will be rejected. No matter how good you are, how well versed with the techniques, how intricately detailed. One fine day, you'll wake up and find a rejection in the mail. Don't get disheartened. It happens to all of us.

2. Rewriting will have to be done. No matter how good your vocabulary, or how well-written your material, there will come a time, when one editor will ask you to rewrite your work. Take this as an encouraging sign. It just means that the editor likes your work, but needs you to work out a few details to suit his needs.

3. Deadlines have to be met. Meeting deadlines is an important part of your career. Miss one deadline, and you can be sure you'll never be writing for that publication again. Be careful not to take on so much that you cannot complete in time. It will ruin your reputation and make you seem unprofessional.

4. Writer's block is not a myth. Regardless of what you may have heard, writer's block is a reality. You will wake up one day to find that somehow you can't seem to write any more. Relax. It's just a phase. Keep your motivation high, and you'll be back in no time.

5. Distractions, Distractions, Distractions. If you work at home, you're even more prone to these distractions. Your child needs food, clothes need washing, you need a cup of coffee. And when all that is taken care of, the phone will ring. It'll be your hubby calling just in time, to remind you of an errand that you almost forgot to do.

6. Can't do without a thesaurus. No matter how good your vocabulary or how witty your writing style, the fact of life is that you will need a thesaurus. There will be times when you can do without an overused word, or a better expression. It's times like these when you absolutely must make use of a thesaurus.

7. You can't please everyone. Everyone is different. Where there'll be dozens of people to appreciate your work, there will be many others who will tear it apart with their criticism. You have to learn to take the good with the bad.

8. Have extraordinary patience. Editors are a strange lot. They need their time, and we need our patience. Don't go checking your mail the day after you've sent your query. Chances are you'll be waiting a long time, before word comes in on that one.

9. Money doesn't come easy. In the writing world, money doesn't come as easily as it appears to from the outside. You may write dozens of articles each week, and expect lots of cash to come in from their sale. Or you may expect your book to outdo the target that you'd set for it. You never know - it just might, but every one cannot be Stephen King. And you'll probably have to learn to live with the fact that no movie will be made from your first novel.

10. The road is long and hard. The road is bumpy, and there'll be times when you'll want to give up. But the destination is just as rewarding. Don't let the long road ahead, deter you from your dreams. And don't ever give up.

Copyright © 2002 Mridu Khullar