I know we’ve all talked about the conference that’s happening next week a lot, but I have to say I am so ready. I have a very stressful day job that has gotten even more stressful since my assistant went on maternity leave. I don’t save lives or keep government secrets or protect American security. What I do is very pedantic. But in my neck of the world what I do is essential. And right now the pressure of it is killing me a little.
So I’m ready to be a Romance Writer. I’m ready to hear about how publishing is changing in radical ways, sales are shrinking across the board and contracts for new authors are unheard of. I’m ready to listen to how I’m killing my career by writing in strange historical time periods and be told that unless you’re doing some form of social networking (I’m not) then you’re dooming your chances of a successful career forever more.
Now you might think - isn’t that even MORE stress? How can a person who has developed an irrational fear of tornadoes (I live in New Jersey for pete’s sake) - which is really my subconscious telling me I’m stressed to the max - handle more stress?
But it’s different stress. It’s writer stress. I’m not the same person I am as a romance writer as I am at my day job.
I’m creative. I’m struggling. I’m a novice instead of an expert.
For whatever reason it does me good. For those of you out there coming to the conference and to my fellow DWT ladies who are coming… Come find me. Because I want to get drunk and talk about writing. I want to go to class and learn something new. I want that horrible feeling that says… you need to work harder or you will never get anywhere to settle in. I need to pretend to think I’m actually going to tweet as soon as I get home.
I’m ready to be a Romance Writer.
9 comments:
Awesome post, Steph! **fist pumps**
It's all about soaking in the information, the positive and the negative, and forging ahead, doing what we love. :)
That Tuesday morning hangover run is going to be fabulous for talking and de-stressing. 8 a.m. at the Concierge desk, baby. Lace up your shoes and get ready to go around the reservoir really really slowly.
I'm actually having the opposite response to getting ready for conference. My day job is so NOT stressful and I'm feeling all kinds of writing stress at the moment. You're going to have to talk me down, Steph.
Have fun... wish I could be there......
You guys have fun (pout). I sure wish I could be there.
Eileen I'll be happy to talk you down... but we'll have to wait for the Wednesday run. I'm not actually getting to NY until sometime Tuesday afternoon. Hopefully between traffic hours.
yes! me too! I'm ready to be a romance writer that wears actual clothes instead of yoga pants. (or whatever was closest to my bed which - today i am wearing what I wore Yesterday - embarrassing!) I want to be a romance writer with friends who are full of optimism despite the strange industry instead of deleting loop emails that are so negative I can't stand to read them.
I want to learn something new, meet someone new. Drink a lot.
Love it - wish I was going to be there - especially for the cocktail hour. :)
Hours, Kathy. Definitely a plural. :-)
I could have written this post! Except you did it for me, so thanks. Especially the day job part. I feel like I'm going to be the real me for a week!
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