The Conundrum

“If you wrote something for which someone sent you a check, if you cashed the check and it didn’t bounce, and if you then paid the light bill with the money, I consider you talented.”

The problem with society’s view on trying to become a writer is that everyone’s a critic. Even if you’ve written a short that earns you $600, you’ll still have people say that you’re not a good writer, despite Stevie’s conditions. The support just isn’t there, because writing is subjective, writing doesn’t mean a secure job, and writing statistically ends with failure.

I don't need people telling me that I'm not a very good writer, but I also don’t need people telling me that I am a good writer either (unless they’re Stevie). Of course, I still welcome it, but it doesn’t do much for my drive, because I already know that I’m decent, I’ve already proven that I’m good to a certain extent, and in my mind I already know that I have the potential to make it further.

I know you have to be realistic, taking possibilities in mind while maintaining a steady nine-to-five job, or running around serving someone else’s vision in order to secure a future with your own. But at the same time, you gotta dream a little, because realism isn’t going to consider you talented. Realism is going to try to keep you in the gray life as a servant for money.