So, I was hoping to write ten pages yesterday; I wrote seven. I ended up with a little less writing time than I expected because my book group met last night. (Though in all honesty, I don’t know that I really would’ve worked during Preteen’s dress rehearsal anyway…I probably would’ve watched.)
As always, book group was a good time. Good food (Mexican), good friends, good conversation. We read my old friend Catherine Friend’s (yes, that’s her real last name) book, Hit by a Farm, which is a story of a woman who loses sight of her own dream (to be a children’s book author) for the sake of her partner’s dream (to own and run a farm). It’s a great book…and a great book group book. Catherine even has a book discussion guide on her website.
Our discussion got me thinking about dreams. I’ve always DREAMED of becoming an author (not necessarily a children’s book author…that didn’t come until college, but always an author of fiction). One of the other women in our group said she recently found her way back to her dream of becoming a librarian…another woman believes she’s “given up her dreams” to stay home with her family (which hit me kind of weird…I don’t think she regrets that decision…but for me, a real benefit to pursuing my writing dream is the fact I’ve been able to be home for my children…I was able to combine my dream with childrearing…it made me sad to think of someone, especially a good friend of mine, giving up a dream to stay home…). And another (probably THE most conscientious responsible person I have ever met in my life…she works fulltime, but she’s one of those people who likes to know about field trips and special projects at school ahead of time so she can ask off for those days…she’s supermom…her house is always clean, her kids are well rounded and involved in everything…there’s nothing she can’t do) she said she’s still trying to decide what she wants to be when she grows up. It doesn’t sound like she ever really had a dream. When I probed further, she admitted to wanting to be a ballerina when she was little (she had a year of ballet lessons), but she has never had the experience of having a dream, then breaking it down and figuring out what it is you realistically have to do in order to make that dream come true…and I can’t imagine what it’s like to live without a dream. (Even though I’m published, the “dream” is still very much alive within me…it still propels me forward, still drives me to my computer every day…) I don’t even know what it’s like to work a job that’s…”just a job.” I don’t know what it’s like to “live for the weekend.” I am truly fortunate…
Preteen has the day off today. And he has an eye doctor appointment and we have errands to run…I’m also trying out a new Toastmaster’s group tonight. So it’s a busy day…I’m shooting for FIVE pages on Truth About T.M.S. (which won’t happen if I don’t stop blogging and get to work!)
I wrote constantly as a kid and worked even then on my goal of being an author.
But then I put my dream aside when I was engaged during my senior year of high school and married a few months after graduation and divorced several years later.
There was a MOMENT though when I was about 17. I’d stopped writing, had chosen marriage and a job rather than furthering my education. Then for no special reason, I had this KNOWING thought that one day when I would be young mother and published writer.
This thought struck me so strong and made me want to cry because at that point in my life I couldn’t see how it could be possible. How could I get published without college? I thought. And I didn’t think it was possible financially for me to stay at home with kids. So I shrugged it off…but when I sold my first book right before I turned 30, a young mother on a very happy 2nd marriage, I remembered that knowing moment.
Anyway, my dream continues as I keep struggling to sell the “next” book.
LJS (I think I may post this on my own blog — it’s a great form of procrastination and if I write any pages today that will be great.)
Interesting! And looking back, it’s because I chose marriage so young (I was 20 when we go married) that I was able to write. (Continuing my schooling might have been harder…since I WAS married, and my husband had a job, I felt limited by grad schools that were in our area)
I didn’t know you didn’t go to college? But you’re right…you don’t NEED college to be a writer. FWIW, I think my psychology courses were almost better preparation for becoming an author than my English courses were. To succeed in this business, I think you almost have to put a lot of what you may have learned in college out of your head and start fresh.
Sometimes I feel inadequate because I’m not educated in literature, but I also think that if I had teachers telling me HOW to write, that might have squashed my natural creativity. I’m a very stubborn, contrary person and in high school an English teacher who mostly encouraged my writing told me to stop writing poems in rhyme. After a few sarcastic attempts (like Mud, mud, mud, it’s black and gooey, etc.) I stopped writing poems entirely. Stubborn, you know. So it’s just as well I didn’t go to college, I guess (g). Still sometimes I’d like to feel smarter…LJS
Wouldn’t we all! But it’s not COLLEGE that makes one “smart”…believe me, I met a lot of really stupid people in college.
You can still educate yourself in literature, if that’s what you want. You don’t need college for that. You ARE educated in the genre you write in…I’ll bet you’re way more educated in that genre than any English major who’s currently in college…
Yup–I know the YA market, authors and books very well. A local librarian asks me for recommendations and I tell her the latest books getting big “buzz”.
But classics always seemed kind of boring…think I’ll pass. I’m looking forward to reading the latest M.T. Anderson novel and Scott Westerfeld’s, too. Gail Carson Levine has one out called THE FAIREST I’m eager to read too. So many books, not enough cash to buy them all.
LJS
HOPE YOU MADE YOUR GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
AND BY THE WAY
HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO YOU!!!!!!!!!!!
I DID, thanks! 🙂 🙂 🙂
And Happy Thanksgiving to you, too!!! (Not really thinking about Thanksgiving yet…Preteen’s in a play this weekend, and grandparents are coming THIS weekend (not for Thanksgiving), so one thing at a time!) 🙂