More Author Insight: Sacrifices

What is the biggest sacrifice you're made to pursue writing?

"Having a social life in college. On one hand, I'm not into the drinking and partying scene anyway, but on the other, it did get lonely sometimes. Writing is such a solitary profession that sometimes it's difficult being social, and as an extrovert, I sometimes go stir-crazy. But writing is totally worth it." - Aimee Carter, author of The Goddess Test. 

"I left professional theatre to pursue my novels, you can't be out on the audition beat all the time and stay on top of your writing. But thankfully I do a lot of conferences (in full Victorian regalia) and readings of my work, so there's a lot of performing involved. :)" - Leanna Renee Hieber, author of Darker Still and  The Perilous Prophecy of Guard and Goddess.

"I realize others have sacrificed so much more -- all I did was give up a paying job, endure two years of people asking 'did you sell a book yet?' and wibble about not carrying my weight before I finally sold a book. We didn't starve, but I did feel awfully selfish and inadequate during that time." - Sonia Gensler, author of The Revenant. 

 

"Honestly?  Personal relationships and potential friendships.  When a relationship ever kept me from writing… well, lickety split, I was gone, gone, gone.   Do you know what modern American novel ends with the line, 'Lickety, lickety, lickety split'?   No, it’s NOT Forrest Gump.  Good guess, though.  I’ll give you the author, you tell me the novel.  It’s Toni Morrison.  Hint: It’s her book that I love best." - Randy Russell, author of Dead Rules. 

"Besides my emotional stability? It would be my time with my family. There have been too many sunny days that I’ve had to stay in and write instead of going hiking with them or something else awesome. I sometimes say that I’m giving it all up for a 'normal' life. But I’ve learned that this is normal for me." - Suzanne Young, author of A Need So Beautiful.

"Running. I used to run half-marathons and marathons, but all the training time has been usurped for writing time." - Miranda Kenneally, author of Score.

"I can't call any of it a sacrifice because the good has far outweighed the bad. I count myself enormously lucky." - Lesley Livingston, author of Tempestuous. 

"Well, when I had to give up driving two hours per day to teach English to rude, ill-behaved French university students, I can tell you—I was pretty upset. No, really—the answer to that would have to be: 'question not applicable.' Writing is truly the best job I’ve ever had. I was already sacrificing a lot for other jobs. I’ve earned back a lot of those concessions with my present routine!" - Amy Plum, author of Die for Me. 

"Time with my family. I work two other jobs, one of which entails a fair amount of travel, so, between book events and lecturing, there are stretches of time I’m not home much." - Lisa Desrochers, author of Original Sin. 

"I wouldn't say I've sacrificed anything, other than time that used to be free. Now, my time is spent wisely, and with a purpose that's beyond rewarding. It's such a thrill to be able to do what I love."   - Jennifer Murgia, author of Lemniscate.

"The ministry? The Ironman Triathlon? But really, what sacrifice? Writing’s easy.  It’s like Red Smith said: 'There's nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and open a vein.'" - Steve Watkins, author of What Comes After.  

"Sanity? Self-confidence? I jest, but writing can really be tough on a person’s ego at all the stages in the game.  Right now though I think the biggest sacrifice I’ve made is financial. I had a fairly well paying career before I left it to stay at home and then write. I’m not at the stage where I’m making the same money writing that I was making in my old career." - Janet Gurtler, author of I'm Not Her. 

Stop by Tuesday to learn what the authors find daunting about finishing a book-length manuscript.

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