The river part of this excursion was a lot of fun. Camping out was miserable. What's more, at my age, it's not a good idea to risk getting too cold and lowering one's immune system. Harry said later this was the coldest trip they had ever taken.
On the whole--especially since I survived--I enjoyed the trip and decided afterwards that I live too cautiously. I'm very self protective.
Nevertheless, if I had known what I was doing, I wouldn't have done it. And I would have missed out.
In a way, the adventure was reminiscent of my entry into the writing life. When I began I didn't have the slightest idea what I was doing. I had never had a creative writing course. I didn't know any writers and there were no writing groups in my community. It was literally the great unknown.
I taught myself to write from books that I checked out from our local library and from the Writer's Digest Magazine. I sold the first short story I submitted to a magazine that was marketed in truck stops: Overdrive. Then another to the same publication, then one to Woman's World.
I've had a lot of breaks and made a lot of mistakes.
Nevertheless, if I had know what I was doing in writing I wouldn't have done it. And I would have missed out.
There was no internet chiding me that I would be foolish to try because of the odds. No bombardment of statistics. No writers groups to mock my plots, my characters, my choice of words. I was foolishly optimistic. Writers Digest told me monthly that if I persisted I would succeed.
Now publishing is looking far off into the Great Unknown again. People are reading a lot, but the books they are reading were bought by publishers before Covid hit. I understand a great many of us are turning to the classics. How will this trend affect the industry's coming list? What books will the great houses choose to entice the buying public?
As for me, I'm relying on the best advice I ever got. Irwin Applebaum once said "Write what you really want to write. There's so little money in the business it's stupid to do it for any other reason."
Write what you really want to write. That's the best advice you can possibly offer. Glad you made it back from that trip safe and sound. Have a great holiday.
ReplyDeleteCharlotte, you are so much braver than I am. Seems as we get older we become more aware of the "what can go wrong" aspect, and a sense of self-preservation kicks in. But it does probably make us too cautious at times.
ReplyDeleteHere's wishing you and the entire Type M team a peaceful and joyous holiday season! I enjoy the blog and your books and learn from all of you. I feel honored to be part of your community. Looking forward to a better year in 2021 for us all.
White water rafting! Wow!
ReplyDeleteBut have you never seen The River Wild?Rule number one - never make friends with Kevin Bacon while rafting.
As for writing, write what you want to write pretty much sums it up. Although sometimes economics force you to do otherwise but as soon as you have done one for them, you should also do something for you.
Tanya, thank you so much for your greeting -- and we wish you the very same right back!
ReplyDeleteThanks Thomas. And Margaret Cole said during her keynote speech for Women Writing the West never let anyone tell you you're the wrong race, gender, nationality, or living in the wrong time to write what you want to write.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Tanya. Here's hoping for a better year.
ReplyDeleteDouglas--I agree! But to be honest, I've probably hurt myself financially by going back and forth between historical writing (both novels and non-fiction) and mysteries.
ReplyDelete