Personally, I'm kind of simplistic. I'd say I've always been a writer, or I'd like to think so, anyway. I think I reserve "author" for someone who actually writes and publishes books.
I always refused to use the term "author" until I got a book deal, and even then I was always a "soon-to-be author" until the book actually came out. I'm not superstitious about very many things, but I always touch the outside of an airplane before I get on board, and I refused to call myself an author until my book actually existed in print.
I've been a writer of stories since the age of 8, and seeing this clip reminds me why I'm still not an author. Being an author takes hard work and dedication and sacrifice, and those words really aren't in my personal dictionary. Now that you have experienced the thrill of being a real author, is it worth doing again, for anything other than Schuyler's story?
Now that you have experienced the thrill of being a real author, is it worth doing again, for anything other than Schuyler's story?
Oh, sure, assuming anyone's interested in publishing my next book. But the thing I'm learning (and I had a disastrous signing this weekend, so it's on my mind) is that the parts of the process that you think are going to be fun, all the attention and the "fame" and such, are actually the parts that occasionally become a pain in the ass.
Want to be on television? Great, but at least one of your interviewers won't have read the book and won't know anything about your story, and will barely be able to pronounce your name.
Want to do lots of fancy book signing events? Enjoy them, but know that at least one of them will be held and NO ONE who you didn't actually know beforehand will show up, and you will feel like the biggest failure ever to punctuate a sentence.
Want to have lots of fans who love your work? That's a very cool feeling, but be aware that at least one of them will show up where you live someday.
I have talked to other authors with some real scary stories, and I have been luckier than most. I love the experiences I've had because of this book, and about 95% of those experiences have been overwhelmingly positive. But that other 5%? They can leave a mark.
In the end, I'm learning to recognize that the important thing, the thing that makes it worth doing, isn't the process, and it's not the fancy pants author carnival that lingers for a few weeks and then goes away. In the end, it's about the book you create, and the effect it has on the world, if any. When this is over, no matter what, there's the book. It's real, and it's forever, and no one can ever take that away from me.
And by the time I'm ready to submit another manuscript, I will have forgotten all this and will have stars in my eyes again.
I hope you do realease another book....if nothing other than an update...the next chapter of schuylers story, i just finished the book and im so gutted, i was reading slow towards the end because I didnt want to finish it, I can officially say its one of the best books I have ever read, its informative, funny and very personal, its a rare gem in the world of memoirs! congrats!
Funny though. Once I stop crying, I'm sure it will be funny. Sniff. Sniff.
ReplyDeleteRob (I'm all about the comment system today). Do you think of yourself as a writer or an author? And, is there really any difference?
ReplyDeleteThis reader wants to know.
Personally, I'm kind of simplistic. I'd say I've always been a writer, or I'd like to think so, anyway. I think I reserve "author" for someone who actually writes and publishes books.
ReplyDeleteI always refused to use the term "author" until I got a book deal, and even then I was always a "soon-to-be author" until the book actually came out. I'm not superstitious about very many things, but I always touch the outside of an airplane before I get on board, and I refused to call myself an author until my book actually existed in print.
I've been a writer of stories since the age of 8, and seeing this clip reminds me why I'm still not an author. Being an author takes hard work and dedication and sacrifice, and those words really aren't in my personal dictionary. Now that you have experienced the thrill of being a real author, is it worth doing again, for anything other than Schuyler's story?
ReplyDeleteNow that you have experienced the thrill of being a real author, is it worth doing again, for anything other than Schuyler's story?
ReplyDeleteOh, sure, assuming anyone's interested in publishing my next book. But the thing I'm learning (and I had a disastrous signing this weekend, so it's on my mind) is that the parts of the process that you think are going to be fun, all the attention and the "fame" and such, are actually the parts that occasionally become a pain in the ass.
Want to be on television? Great, but at least one of your interviewers won't have read the book and won't know anything about your story, and will barely be able to pronounce your name.
Want to do lots of fancy book signing events? Enjoy them, but know that at least one of them will be held and NO ONE who you didn't actually know beforehand will show up, and you will feel like the biggest failure ever to punctuate a sentence.
Want to have lots of fans who love your work? That's a very cool feeling, but be aware that at least one of them will show up where you live someday.
I have talked to other authors with some real scary stories, and I have been luckier than most. I love the experiences I've had because of this book, and about 95% of those experiences have been overwhelmingly positive. But that other 5%? They can leave a mark.
In the end, I'm learning to recognize that the important thing, the thing that makes it worth doing, isn't the process, and it's not the fancy pants author carnival that lingers for a few weeks and then goes away. In the end, it's about the book you create, and the effect it has on the world, if any. When this is over, no matter what, there's the book. It's real, and it's forever, and no one can ever take that away from me.
And by the time I'm ready to submit another manuscript, I will have forgotten all this and will have stars in my eyes again.
I hope you do realease another book....if nothing other than an update...the next chapter of schuylers story, i just finished the book and im so gutted, i was reading slow towards the end because I didnt want to finish it, I can officially say its one of the best books I have ever read, its informative, funny and very personal, its a rare gem in the world of memoirs! congrats!
ReplyDelete