Sunday, January 15, 2012

Writer's High

I realized something this week.  I love the act of writing more than I love the idea of getting published. 

I love creating characters that find themselves in the middle of difficult situations that only I have control over.  I love writing first drafts, but I equally enjoy editing my first drafts into something better, transforming them with the perfect word or dialogue, playing with a scene until it's just right, even if it's not what I originally intended. 

How lucky are we to have found our passion, the thing that we love to do?  I say 'we' because I know I'm not alone.

To have such a supportive community of writers is more than I planned on when I began writing.  I expected to do this thing alone; and I expected to love it less.  I accepted the possibility that I would fail, that this was something I wouldn't be able to do, that I would give up on it if I wasn't immediately successful. 

But this is who I am.  This is who I was as a child with an overactive imagination and a love for stories, as a teen who escaped into literature, as an adult that loves to read to her babies before bed but prefers to make up stories on the fly. 

It would be wonderful if I could make enough money from writing to pay for college for my kids or buy the farmhouse of my dreams (and pay a worker to do the work my husband obviously doesn't want to do).  If monetary success happens, that will be fantastic, but for now I am satisfied with the pleasure that comes from writing one chapter at a time, from creating a thousand words that didn't exist yesterday. 

Yes, I had way too much coffee today and an unusual abundance of sleep last night, which may be responsible for my afternoon euphoria.  Maybe I have writer's high, sort of like runner's high but different - an uncontrolled optimism after having written a chapter I love. 

Do you feel this way too?  Do you love the act of writing enough that you would do it without pay?  Do you get a writer's high after writing or editing a difficult chapter?

13 comments:

  1. Absolutely!
    I love the concept of a writer's high!
    And like you, I love the idea of creating and perfecting much more than the idea of becoming "rich" or "famous."

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  2. Very, very well said! I'm happy that you have found this passion. May it continue to send sparks into your life.

    Best~~

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  3. Yes, I feel very much the same way. I love the act of writing and crafting story more than I desire to be published, it's true. I still hope for the latter, but if it never happens, I'll still be happy to write my stories.

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  4. I feel the same way. I get a rush when I figure out the perfect way to express something. When the characters I create or the story I plot surprise me. Rachel said exactly how I feel: "I love the idea of creating and perfecting much more than the idea of becoming 'rich' or 'famous.'"

    Frankly, I'd *much* rather be rich than famous, but neither is likely in this line of work. You gotta love what you do :)

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  5. I enjoyed writing and I had I never been published, it would've been all right.
    We are glad you are here, sharing the joy of the journey with us!

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  6. I love the act of writing more than I love the idea of getting published.


    Absolutely. I even love the pain of the days when nothing gets written. I love to hate myself when I write crap--so there is no part of writing I would eschew, no matter how painful.

    I sound like I'm in an addictive, unhealthy sort of relationship(with writing).

    maybe I am :)

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  7. I agree with you entirely. I dream of being published, but would do it regardless.

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  8. Yes, indeed! I love writing, and long ago, publication seemed like a vague, far off maybe dream. But I write for many reasons. I love writing the world, the characters consume my brain, and I can't NOT write them--no matter what happens with them later. :)

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  9. Yes, i feel that way, too. I maybe complain about the revising and polishing, but I think I secretly prefer it to the actual writing. Lots of writing goes on during draft#2 anyway. I feel most of the magic happens in that draft.

    But whether anyone ever reads my stuff or not, I love what I do and I'm going to keep doing it.

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  10. Sorry for the slow response - no internet most of the day today.

    Rachel - I really don't want fame. I would stop writing if there were a threat of fame. I think I'm safe. :)

    Bryce - Thanks!

    LG - Me too. :)

    August - Yes, the rush is it. I wish it lasted longer. I don't want to be famous either.

    Alex - Thanks, that's a very kind thing to say.

    Damyanti - Funny. A good kind of unhealthy relationship. :)

    Rusty - I wonder if most writers feel this way. I don't think I could write if my only motivation was money.

    Laura - I've heard that writers are only happy when their writing. True for me. I'm grumpy when I'm stuck.

    M Pax - I agree about the magic in draft 2. I love the second draft.

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  11. yep, for sure. I've had to ask myself this a few times since it really doesn't pay much at the moment, but it comes down to loving writing so much it doesn't matter about the rest.

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  12. Excellent post! I think you've encapsulated the mission of this blog and our challenge.

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  13. Lynda - That's awesome, not about the money, but that you love it so much. I bet you'll end up making money soon.

    Anonymous - Thanks! And, yes, it is our challenge as writers, not just mine.

    Karen - No, you are absolutely not a failure.

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