With my vast experience of all of one week as a published author, people are asking me for advice on being a writer. This is amusing because I have no idea what I’m doing, I’m pretty much winging it. Just ask the other Debs who field my frantic emails.
However, since you asked the one advice I can give is if you think you want to be a writer, make sure you enjoy the process of writing. Yes, there will be days when you beat your head on the keyboard, but overall you should like the writing bit. There are so many things in this business from the endless rejections, to the bad reviews, the fluctuating Amazon numbers and the fact Oprah just doesn’t call- that if you can’t enjoy the writing I think you should take up something else.
Knitting is good.
Knitting and writing have a lot in common, both are creative pursuits and you can measure your progress as you go. On the upside when you knit someone a sweater, a project that took hours of your time, sweat and concentration, you never get a letter back saying:
Dear Knitter-
Thank you for your recent submission of a V-neck sweater. As you can imagine we get many sweaters, but we can’t take them all. V-necks in particular are a difficult sweater genre at this time. While we like your sweater, in particular your use of yarn, we don’t like it enough to keep it. To save on shipping we’ve shredded it. Please don’t be discouraged. Others may like it- but we sure didn’t.
However, if you do like the writing, then stick with it. Stick through the bad times and the times when it seems you can’t get a break. I can now say with certainty what I always expected- holding your first book is a thrill you’ll never forget. And you can always take up knitting on the side.
Thanks to everyone for celebrating this week with me and helping me spread the word.
Eileen, I love the knitting analogy. This was particularly heartbreaking: To save on shipping we’ve shredded it. OH the horror! As someone who only has the skill and patience to knit square, boring dishcloths, that line hit me particularly hard.
Congrats on your launch day 5. And please keep up the party – I’m loving living vicariously through you and Jenny!
Knitting is good. All handicrafts. I am so exhausted from this “business” end of writing/selling that I plan to retreat to my sewing room this weekend to make a Raggedy Andy doll for my hairdresser (well, not for him–for his newly-adopted baby boy) and a stuffed bunny for another friend who has a baby on the way. And if time allows, I will work on the 3 IOU quilts that are collecting dust for other friends/relatives. Time to replete the energy stores!
I’d rather be reading than knitting, so please keep writing. UNPREDICTABLE shines and Sophie stole my heart, you should be so proud, Eileen. Now go enjoy your book tour, fans and THE homecoming…you’ve earned it all!
Wait, Oprah hasn’t called yet?
I love the knitting rejection letter. My knitting is gardening, and I’m totally imagining a gardening rejection letter. (Actually, if we’re being metaphorical, when something I’ve planted goes belly-up that’s one hell of a rejection notice.)
Congratulations once again on your book’s successful launch!!! I am so thrilled for you. 🙂
I read this first thing yesterday morning then didn’t get back to commment. So funny and so true! Sadly, I can’t knit anymore bc I have tendonitis from writing. Mind you, I only got as far as scarves.
Have a wonderful tour!
You guys can knit??? I’m impressed! Happy launch week, Eileen!!! Keep celebrating.
Perfect analogy, Eileen! And enjoy. Here’s what I know–once you are published no one can ever, ever take that away from you. That rocks. It’s a wild ride, but it’s yours to take.
Congratulations, Eileen! This post was so funny and so on-the-mark. Knitting is good, but I’m pretty sure you should just keep writing. 🙂
Excellent. The author whose book we’re (Medusa’s Muse) publishing next is already a knitter, so looks like we’re already off to a great start.
Congratulations!
Congrats on your debut Eileen!
Speaking of knitting, have you noticed how many books that have come out with that as a setting/sub-plot lately? Either there’s a whole lot of knitters out there, or this is a sign that it’s about to become very popular!
-Suzanne.
I am in awe of knitters… and writers who persevere through revisions.
One of my best college friends is a knitter–and a doctor! I never had the patience to learn–I would just help her ball her yarn (I confess, I wasn’t even very good at that).
LOL
I used to be a big knitter. Must take it up again. As long as it doesn’t bring a raft of rejections.
I LOVE the sweater rejection letter. Makes me wish I hadn’t thrown away all of mine.
If this can be of any comfort, I haven’t heard a peep from Oprah either. But don’t lose heart, sometimes she doesn’t pick your book right on its release date. Look at “Anna Karenina.”
I reread my comment and now realize it is ambiguous. I threw away my rejection letters, not my sweaters (it’s cold here in Paris.)