I was jumping around blogland yesterday.  Shannon McKelden’s blog led me to The (Mis) Adventures of a Single City Chick blog and then onto Jane Porter’s blog.  Yeah, no procrastination issues here.

In her October 18th entry, Jane talks about the need to take some time off.  The topic is really about balance and priorities and having a life.  It’s a good reminder or warning, depending on where you are in your writing career.  Here’s part of it, but go check out the entire entry:

I worried for years about writing fewer books. I worried about losing readers. I worried about alienating editors. I worried about getting lost, or left behind in the industry. And then I realized that was all ego. I was basing my idea of success on external factors, like what other people thought of me. I was driving myself to prove I was capable, and prolific, and essential and then one day I woke up and realized I’m not that essential in this industry. I’ve talent, and I work hard, but the only person I need to please is me. And the real Jane Porter is happiest with her kids and friends and decorating for holidays and making her own pasta sauce and wrapping gifts with flourishes and building puzzles at night on the living room carpet. That’s Jane. That’s the Jane that matters.

I’m new to the writing game.  But, I’m smart enough to know I’m one of those folks who could easily lose sight of everything else in the rush to stay published.  Whether she’s right or wrong, I don’t know.  This just seemed seemed like a healthy reminder.  Figured I wasn’t alone in needing to hear it now and then.

This entry was posted on Sunday, October 23rd, 2005 at 6:14 am and is filed under About Authors, About Writing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.