Are You a Writer?

In creative writing classes your teacher tells you everyone has a voice, a singular vision to share with the world through its glorious expression;

In journalism classes your teacher tells you about inverted pyramids, about conforming to stylebooks, about putting the story before the writer;

In the publishing world, agents and publishers don’t care who you are unless you’re someone, and writing is much more about marketing than art;

Reviewers are themselves writers, often ones who failed to publish their work and thus embittered, turn on the writers who follow in their footsteps. Writers who sell their books receive the harshest of their criticism, usually in the form of the word “hack”;

Other writers are jealous, suspicious, and vastly less talented than you…or vastly more so;

I am a writer. I face all the above and have this to say: “So?”

If you want to write, write. Being educated on the reality of freelance and enslaved writing doesn’t mean you should give up. If you quit, the talentless people with great connections and/or money win. Keep writing, improve your craft, set your goals and pursue the fuck out ‘em.

Take a look around at your local bookstore. It won't take long to observe the following: "Holy Hackfest! If these dumbasses can get published, so can I!"

Your creative writing teacher was right. Just don't plagiarize, ok? No, really.