As part of his week of being optimistic in March 2009, agent Nathan Bransford posted his Ten Commandments for the Happy Writer. The last few resonated with me and bear repeating.
(Besides, a smidge more than a year-and-a-half-ago is ancient history in Internet time.)
8. Park your jealousy at the door. Writing can turn ordinary people into raving lunatics when they start to believe that another author's success is undeserved. Do not begrudge other writers their success. They've earned it. Even if they suck.
9. Be thankful for what you have. If you have the time to write you're doing pretty well. There are millions of starving people around the world, and they're not writing because they're starving. If you're writing: you're doing just fine. Appreciate it.
10. Keep writing. Didn't find an agent? Keep writing. Book didn't sell? Keep writing. Book sold? Keep writing. OMG an asteroid is going to crash into Earth and enshroud the planet in ten feet of ash? Keep writing. People will need something to read in the resulting permanent winter.
Image: Photography by BJWOK / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Love Nathan. Love these rules. Thanks Deren!
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