The Real Life of A Writer

I was fortunate enough to discover that Sarah Dessen, one of my favorite Young Adult writers was interviewed about the life of a writer and the writing process. I was amazed to discover that she decided to drop four books, and even dropped one that her agent wanted her to publish. At the same time, I've been reading about Walt Disney, and how he made some tough decisions throughout his career. I think that the best way to advance towards your dream is to be honest with yourself. Sometimes that means taking the more difficult road and sticking to it with determination. As I read about these two artists, I really thought about the long road I have ahead of me. I want to be the kind of writer that offers good quality stories and timeless themes. Sometimes that will mean making tough decisions and really revising a personal favorite story. I have a feeling that the real life of any successful artist in the entertainment industry will involve many situations that put them to the test. But, the decisions these people make truly matter in their success. For example, it is better to worry about the quality of the story than try to surprise your readers with too many twists. I personally admire J. R. R. Tolkien for never writing a sequel to Lord of the Rings no matter how hard he was pressured. Dessen made a similar decision, where she chose not to publish one story, even though she needed the money, because it didn't feel right. Walt Disney decided that he would produce Cinderella instead of retiring and living off his other productions. This is probably the most important characteristic of a successful person, perserverance. Honesty and Dedication really go a long way. I already know that it's a slow climb to get where you want to be, but everything I've read about these successful people tells me the struggle is worth it. Everyone makes mistakes and learns from them, no matter what job they have. But the real trick to being successful is to take those difficult times and learn the lessons to succeed in the future. So I believe that the real life of a writer relies on the path to success, and every journey through a career is a journey to the self.

Whose career path inspires you to live your dream?