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Six Myths: A Writer's Life

One of the most exhilarating choices you may make in your life is to become 'a writer'. There are many images and expectations about the writer's life style. It can be filled with joy and steeped in the wonder of language and expression. Writer's have the opportunity to give something to the world at large. Writing is a profession often connected with the freedom of doing what you truly love for the rest of your life, but is it really?

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Myth 1. Writing is like paid vacation.
Being a writer isn't about having a book on the shelves of Barnes and Nobles; it's not about signings, tours or discussions with your editor. Being a writer is about writing. You're going to face occasions when you are challenged. You'll have days when you doubt your ability to succeed and you'll wallow in the misery of failure, not because you've failed but because you aren't where you expect yourself to be. Writing is work, and it's hard work at that.

Myth 2. Writer's Enjoy Solitary Lives.
A common misconception is that writers are hermits. While the actual act of writing is often one best done in contented mental (not necessarily physical) solitude writing is about people and life. You can't be a great writer if you don't immerse yourself in your subject, in your readers. You can't live in a black hole, never having seen the sky and write about the life of a bird. You have to live, meet people, get to know who your audience is and write for that world, not yourself and the earthworms.

Myth 3. Writing is easy.
If you've chosen to be a writer because writing is easy you're in for a shock. I don't think any professional writer would ever say that this career isn't more challenging than any other they've had in their lifetime. Writing is hard. The difficulty is a part of what makes the best writers so good.

Myth 4. Writer's are rich.
This is one I really wish were true. The truth is, only a very select few, very good and very lucky writers ever get rich. Beginning writers make very little money. Many writers never make great money. In the early days of your writing career you'll probably need a day job and you'll probably still eat out of a can and scrimp for toilet paper.

5. Writers know everything.
Yes, writers come to know a lot but I've never met a writer who thought they had learnt enough. Curiosity seems to be a requirement for writers. We are constantly striving to learn; we research, we study, we take courses, we workshop, we read, and read, and read.

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