This weekend’s #writechat on Twitter asked a question: was writing working or not and did it matter. Do both questions I say yes, it is work and yes, it matters that you think of it that way. Here’s why.
If you’re working, you’re getting paid for something or you have a reasonable assumption of getting paid for something down the road for the fruits of your labor. Just because you’re not out slinging a pick ax doesn’t mean you’re not working. Additionally, if you are going to try and get published, then writing is your job or it will be in the future. Just because you don’t have to leave the house in order to do it, doesn’t mean it gets pushed to the side. If you honestly want to be published, then long hours of practice and work are required.
I never in a million years thought that writing a book was going to be hard. And you know what? It wasn’t hard to write that first draft. The multiple rewrites, the revisions and the edits? THAT was work and hard. You write words down, you build this scene and then with the stroke of a few keys, it’s gone, no matter how much you love it, because it doesn’t advance the story.
But is it work? I say yes, writing is work.
But on the flip side of that argument, it doesn’t feel like work because I love it. I read a quote somewhere that if you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life and I think with this, that’s correct. I can sit on my computer for hours, working through a scene, finding the right words or ruthlessly culling my darlings and it never feels like work.
On that note, I need limits.
Because it doesn’t feel like work, I can and do let it take up most of my free time, especially over here in Iraq where there aren’t competing priorities, like laundry. I feel like if I’m not writing, I’m slacking off but that’s simply not the case. But I need time to recharge. If I’m always working on a book, I’m not reading a book or I’m not taking a break for me. Reading is fundamental to being a writer and if I’m trying to be any good, I need to read books that challenge me, which takes time.
Thinking of writing as a job means that I need to work on it for a time, then set it aside. It doesn’t matter if I don’t feel like a need a break, at the end of the day I do. So I set #writegoals for the day and try to stick to them. That way, once they’re met, I can step away while still feeling like I’ve accomplished enough for the day. Plus, just because I haven’t sat down with my manuscript doesn’t mean I haven’t worked. I spent the weekend editing my latest project. That was work. When it was done and mailed to my agent, I took a break, sinking into a novel rather than opening up Scrivener.
If you want to be professional writer, don’t quit but don’t overdo it. There’s a time and a place for all things and that includes writing. I can’t not write, but I also have other responsibilities, like living, being my husband’s wife and my children’s mom. So don’t let writing take over your life, no matter how much you enjoy it.
Treat it like a job, albeit a job you enjoy.