Not Giving Up

You know who’s not giving up? Inspector Banks novelist Peter Robinson. I read an article recently in which he talks about his process, the arc of the novels, (18 novels in this series, over 21 years)what fresh hell he’s put Banks into most recently, and at the end, his work teaching creative writing. He doesn’t teach much anymore because producing a new book every year doesn’t leave a lot of free time (go figure.) He remembers, though, being struck by how few promising writers hung in there long enough to achieve success. “I came across a lot of people who I thought were talented as writers, but they didn’t do it, they gave up on it, for various reasons. It’s often difficult to find the time if you have family or a demanding job. I’ve been through all that, I’m lucky I don’t have to do any other job now, but I’ve been there and it’s tough.”

Authors Margaret George, me, and Susanna Kearsley

Every year at the Surrey writers’ conference, I hear a variation on this theme: If you want to be a successful writer, just keep at it, because everyone else will quit and eventually, you’ll be the only writer left and they’ll *have* to publish you. But you have to be disciplined and you have to get through that “million words of crap” to reach the gem that is your particular wisdom to share. Some writers get up at 4:30 in the morning, to get their word count in before work. (I am not in this group.) Others stay up late, with dark chocolate. Some write on their lunch hour. Or while the baby’s sleeping. On the bus. On the train… in a boat….with a goat.

I love seeing the same faces at the conference, pitching new manuscripts, or showing off brand new books. I might only see them once each year, but I count them as my friends and I’m thrilled to buy their books and read their work. Pam, Susan, Kathy, Rose, Nick, Donna, kc, Carmen, so many people who keep on writing, year after year, getting better – and finding more success – with each completed project. But each year there are a few faces I look for but don’t see, which makes me sad. Have they stopped writing? Have they given up? Maybe their lives have moved in different directions. No shame in that.

But those who want it bad enough, who truly believe we have something to say that’s worth saying, hang in there. We get up early (like 8 am) or we stay up late. We write despite headaches or surgery or teething puppies or three kids with chicken pox. We write about the death of a friend, the birth of a child, the color of a leaf on the surface of the lake. We dare to talk about depression, about wanting to run away from home, about whether or not chocolate is better than sex. (The answer… seriously??)

And wherever our words appear, in a book, blog, magazine, newspaper, billboard or a note in a lunchbox, if they reach into the reader’s heart and remind them that they are not alone, or make them laugh, or cry or wonder, magic happens.

And that, dear reader, is why I keep on writing.