Giving up doesn’t hurt that much. What really, really hurts is to wish on a daily basis that you hadn’t given up. Cristian Mihai
Ever thought about giving up?
I’ve wanted to give up writing. In the past year, I gave up writing to explore whether I wanted to be a lawyer. I had always wondered if I should’ve gone to law school; various professors had advised it. I didn’t want to graduate law school with debt or ask my husband to pay for it, so my plan was to work as a paralegal until I could afford my “real” legal education.
But I missed writing and reading fiction. Bye-bye, lawyer. Hello (again), novelists. Thanks to the supportive #WritingCommunity on Twitter, I know I made the right choice.
Thanks to a nasty bout of migraines and allergy issues, I haven’t had much activity on the blog in recent weeks, but I hope to get back to the normal schedule soon. Here are my reviews from the past two weeks:
The Savage Shore by David Hewson #Netgalley #review
I am Lemonade Lucy! by Kenneth Womack #review
5 novels about current issues mini#reviews
Keep Her Safe by K. A. Tucker #review
How about you? What have you been reading? Have you ever felt like giving up a dream? What happened? I’d love to hear about it.
In general, I don’t understand why it has to be an either/or decision. One can be a writer AND something else. We all make our choices and wear multiple hats. I’m not commenting on your personal decision specifically (everyone has to make the right decision for their specific situation)…just in general…I’m asking you and/or other writers out there…why does it have to be ALL or NOTHING with writing (that seems to be the general sentiment out there even though most of us have other careers…and families…and other hobbies…)
That being said, I constantly feel being pulled in multiple directions and scatter-brained and never have enough time…for anything (writing included)…so maybe I’m delusional to think we writers can have it all. So I get the challenge…making the choices…making the time for what matters most to us…
That is a great point. For me personally, it was an issue of where to put my mental and physical energies. At 41, with a family and a low energy level, I knew I couldn’t do both attorney work and write fiction. I also heard quite a few stories from female attorneys and paralegals about how torn they were between their families and the demands of their work. (Like being expected to stay until midnight to file papers or prep for a big case, even when they were pregnant or nursing.)
But you’re right, in many instances, we can do more than one thing. We can be writers and (fill in the blank). It just may require more discipline in our work schedules and understanding what our limitations are. And, for me, giving myself some grace when my physical or mental issues limit my accomplishments.
I like your last line – my wife, who is a therapist, would agree.