What's your hurry?

[Benjamin Clayborne]

I'm in a hurry in the sense that I want it to happen as soon as possible ("it" being success, rather than being published in particular), but I know it's going to take a long time.

[Lorna]

I'm in a hurry to get this novel finished and up to the best standard possible quickly as I'm living on savings and when my savings run out, I'm going to have to get another job. As a philosophy post-graduate I find working as a cleaner or in a super market, the only jobs available at present, demoralising and soul destroying. At least if I've finished the book and it's on it's way to agents I have some kind of hope that all my time and money spent on education won't be a complete waste.

[SlimShady]

I'm not in a hurry at all. I'm young and I'm pretty sure I've got all the time in the world. As long as I'm published by thirty I think I'd be more than happy.

[Penpilot]

Writing is my dream. Like any dream, you want it to happen yesterday and be living it today. But I also realize things have to be earned. There are some clear steps that I have to take in order to get a novel published. First and foremost is write a darn novel worthy of publishing. I believe I have a shot with my WIP, but if it doesn't happen with it, there's always the next one.

In the mean time my short term goal is to write ten short stories once I get my current novel edited and hopefully one gets picked up. If I can do that one small thing, I know I've gotten better and if I keep working maybe some good things will happen. Sure I'm in a hurry, but it's going to take as much time as it's going to take, not a second less or a second more. I don't sit and watch paint dry. I go and paint another room.

[Delem]

When it happens when you need it - it is good. For me: I don't want to take a long start)

[The Dark One]

I'm in a hurry to get this novel finished and up to the best standard possible quickly as I'm living on savings and when my savings run out, I'm going to have to get another job. As a philosophy post-graduate I find working as a cleaner or in a super market, the only jobs available at present, demoralising and soul destroying. At least if I've finished the book and it's on it's way to agents I have some kind of hope that all my time and money spent on education won't be a complete waste.

Seriously, do whatever it takes to improve your graduate work opportunities and treat writing as a serious hobby rather than a your Plan A to riches. That way madness lies.

[JonSnow]

My writing is still improving by leaps and bounds, so I don't feel like my current WIP is anywhere near its peak quality...despite the fact I've been writing it (though it has changed dramatically from the original story) for 15 years. The good thing is, I have 3 books outlined and ready to be written.... so if anyone ever wants to publish book 1, the next two will be relatively easy to finish. I have a good day job... and I certainly don't plan on quitting it to become an author any time soon. If that WERE to ever happen, it would just be gravy. I don't think anyone should bank on it.

[Whimsical]

I'm happy just to be able to make the time to write. I write for me. I write because I enjoy the process and benefit from it emotionally. Reaching this point and giving myself permission to make the time to write has been a huge success by itself. I don't expect to be published in a traditional sense. If I ever opt to make my work available to the general public, it will self-published as e-books.

[Lorna]

@The Dark One

Seriously, do whatever it takes to improve your graduate work opportunities and treat writing as a serious hobby rather than a your Plan A to riches. That way madness lies.

I think it's possible for some people to treat writing as hobby but to others it's a vocation. When I studied philosophy that was a vocation- reading the classics and writing new essays. Which is why I was gutted when I had to give up my PhD because I couldn't afford to self fund any longer. Writing fiction is a continuation of that vocation.

Looking for graduate opportunities would mean I would have less time for writing and less chance of becoming a published writer quickly. It's a Catch 22 situation. It's in the conflict between needing to work to write and needing to write to stay sane that madness lies.

[The Dark One]

I feel your pain sister...

I feel very strongly that it's a vocation in my case, but I've been lucky with my day jobs and quite frankly, I don't think I really started to make serious progress until I gave up the desperation and started treating writing as a really serious hobby.

Mind you, I haven't made that much progress and I've been writing seriously for 20 years and trying to get published for 15.

My serious hobby now pays me a small income. It's enough to pay for a decent annual holiday but nowhere near enough to live on. And it took 20 years to get there.