We had an interesting lecture today in English 318–Brandon explained the format of the final to us, and part of the final is that we actually submit something we’ve been writing to a professional publisher! So, now not only will I finish this novel by the end of the semester, but I’ll be sending it out as well! And, you know what? It’s amazing how pumped up and terrified that makes me feel…
But you know what? I’m planning on going all the way with this novel–I’m going to send it to a major publisher, probably Tor. Brandon says that’s like sending it into the void, since it takes so long to hear back from them (and they’ll probably reject me), but hey! Gotta shoot high! Besides, this is the kind of place that I ultimately want to publish me. It may not be this novel, and it may not be the next five novels that I write, but eventually, I think I’m going to make it.
That is, if life doesn’t get in the way first…
English 318 today was a lot of fun! We talked about world building and setting, etc. Something really funny happened as well: Brandon always has trouble writing and spelling words when he’s writing on the whiteboard, and he makes some funny mistakes. He was about to write the word “climate” on the board, but then said “naw, I always forget how to spell it.” Which prompted me to blurt out “how the heck are you a writer if you can’t spell?” Then I realized what I’d said, and was like “no offense, of course,” to which the entire class burst out laughing pretty hard. Of course I know why Brandon is a good writer–because he can tell a heck of a good story! Spell check and editors are for the more menial spelling errors.
It’s classes like this that keep me in college towards the end of the semester. Every time I come out of 318, I’m pumped to write! …and then school gets in the way, and life, and all of that.
Which led me to think today about what the future holds for me as an aspiring writer. What can I expect? I know that a very important part of adult life has to do with priorities and juggling all of your many obligations. You’ve got your family life, and then your professional life, and then your church life, and all three of these things place incredible demands on your time, and it’s impossible to simultaneously satisfy the demands of all three worlds.
Well, if I’m going to really be serious about this writing thing, then my writing life is going to be the fourth spoke on that wheel. Which means that my life is going to be that much harder to balance.
I already fail to meet all of my high priority obligations–I never read the scriptures as much as I want, I haven’t been to the temple for months, I never finish all of my Arabic homework, the last date I went on was last semester, etc etc. Even with writing, I often fail to meet my daily goals.
All I can say is thank goodness for the atonement. I can’t do everything right all of the time, but the message of the gospel is that that’s ok. As long as I’m doing my best and leaving the rest up to God, that’s ok. I don’t have to feel guilty for it.
That alone doesn’t keep the wheels spinning, however. I’ve got to be goal oriented, but not so much that it blinds me to the bigger picture. I’m doing well in school right now, my writing overall is coming along very well, I’m attending my church meetings and praying daily, I’m at least trying to date (asked two girls this week and got two rejections), and I’ve got work and am doing well in it. So, even if I fall short in little ways, I’m still in the running.
One thing that is definitely going to be an absolute, no matter what, is that my family will come first. Even if it means severely reducing the amount of time that I spend writing (or even putting that on hold for a while), if my writing life comes between me and my family, that’s what I’m going to do. Which is scary, because I’m so involved in it now, but my family is going to be the absolute highest priority for me.
However, I think I can juggle it. And how will I do that? By learning to juggle it now. That’s what I’ve been doing this semester–keeping all the wheels spinning while having a writing life as well. I haven’t kept all the wheels spinning perfectly, but I’m learning.
What it ultimately comes down to is time management.
