A Love Letter to the Writers
- By: Jessica Faust | Date: Feb 14 2019
I’ve never made it a secret how much I ❤️ writers. They are the most creative, fascinating and entertaining bunch of people I’ve ever met. It’s why I have chosen to spend so much time with them.
Besides my love for writers as people, I have intense respect for what they do. I once, long ago, decided to write a book. After five pages I was out of things to say.
So this question on my no more excuses video stunned me:
Nice video. Question: in your experience, do you think that it is actually that hard to write a book?— or is it writing a GOOD book that’s challenging
I do think it is actually “that’ hard to write a book and I respect anyone who can sit down and type out 400 pages. I mean 400 pages! Writing 400 words for a blog post is challenging for me. And then those who write, what you call, good books (I’m going to define that as books that are published). I bow down to you. Because to do so means you have rewritten those 400 pages close to 400 times. You have read that same book over and over and over and agonized over every word and every comma.
Do I think it is actually that hard to write a book? Hell ya I do and don’t you ever forget it. Because if you’ve written a book, no matter what struggles you face to get it published, you already have my utmost respect.
Six words: Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Hey Jess, okay, I over stepped, may I call you Jess? Anywho, just want to say for all of us who write, an enormous thank you for understanding how our craft is a hard road to embark. I am by no means a great writer but I do spend many hours and days and weeks into months, creating my own voice to be heard. I write what I call friction Fiction, a tall tale to delight with a point of view in the mix. For I believe all writers have their own opinion and beliefs inside their stories whether they be Fiction or non. It’s displayed in the characters they create. I step out a bit further in that, l, me, myself and I, spell it out. Of course as anything anyone has spelled out, there are some who have an opinion about it. As they should. But what I am truly looking to do is, give readers a thought to ponder. A different view on versions of everyday life and the way we all look and perceive the different aspects of our species and how we may be programmed into beliefs that we should question. I love writing. I feel blessed that I have a voice and still a mind to be able to do what I love. To all who care to take a moment from their busy life, I thank you for making me a part of it too.
Thank you Jessica for the wonderful love letter. It’s very special to me. As a single (divorced & widowed) 55 year old woman, I don’t expect anything else & so it will probably be the only Valentine I’ll receive. In the last 5 years I just think of this day as the anniversary of Capone’s infamous St. Valentine’s mascare. Sad huh? Not really, see for me, I think since all of the truly good ones are married or dead, it just leaves us picky chicks time to keep banging out a few more pages, lol .
Kary, you’re note caught my attention for the simple reason that you stated your age as 55…for what it’s worth, I didn’t sign my first New York contract until I was 55 years old, and that was after years of writing and submitting and writing again. I was published by epublishers, but twenty years ago, epublished authors weren’t considered real authors, so I really wanted that NY publisher. 68 books later, I’m 69 years old and starting my 69th book. I’ve backed off from the frenetic pace I kept for the first eighteen years, but the point of this message is never give up. And when you’re ready, do your best to find a good agent. I was lucky enough to sign with BookEnds in 2001. Eighteen years later, Jessica Faust is still my agent.
Kate, really?? You are 69? I would never have guessed from the thumbnail or your comments here over the years. Obviously you’re much younger on the inside.
I love this so much. Thank you and happy Valentine’s Day. I used to have a prison ministry. Oddly enough, it was my letter of the legend of St. Valentine and a reminder that they were not forgotten that always brought the most heartfelt responses.
Thank you indeed for these words. I made peace with this myself, as a writer, having finished one novel and working on a second. Not yet having published or managed to attract an agent. I realized that I really believe what you say about it being respect worthy simply to have completed writing a book. I feel proud of myself, if nothing else ever comes of it, for having achieved my dream and actually telling my stories. Thank you, and Happy Valentine’s day to you.
This is the best Valentine I could have gotten. Well, the best one that doesn’t include chocolate anyway. You made my day.
Thank you. For all of us it is a long road but the bumps and potholes are worth it. These people we create take on a life of their own and after a while we are no longer creating but dictating what they have to say.
Following this blog gives me needed encouragement. Your words make me realize I am doing okay. I’ve finished the same book six times.
I was a poet in my younger years. (40-50 I’m a late boomer.) After poetry I turned to visual arts.
I have to admit after fifteen years of painting returning to words is a new challenge.
Thank you for acknowledging our efforts.
Thank you Jessica!
I have been writing my book for four years. I have great days of writing and then not so wonderful. Real life gets in the way and you want to scream, “Please, just let me write!” but as most writer’s know reality sets in and we have to take time for everyday life. Jessica, thank you for your encouragement, your helpful videos, and your tweets! I really admire you.
Thank you, Jessica. Writers (at least this writer) write despite multifarious anxieties about our talent, our age, and the value of our work produce. And then moving out of our isolated relationship with our laptops into a competitive corporate world of publishing (which we must do if we want an audience) is a feat of metamorphosis. So, again, thank you, for your affirmation that writing is hard work and getting to the end of a manuscript is quite something.
Sadly it is going to be writers who read this. We need it written in the sky so all those who ask “aren’t you published yet?” stop asking.