Many Writing Illusions Shattered

When we  write that first word or key it in, plenty of writing illusions surround us. Illusions that paint a false picture of a writer’s life and  make others rush in and embrace a scribbler’s life. People have these rosy pictures of a writer’s life: manuscripts being accepted  by the first publishing house its shopped to, there are visions of  writers  signing glossy copies, agents at  their  beck and call, editors gushing over them,  fat cheques, reviewers praising them and readers buying the books the moment they reach the bookshelves.

Once someone enters into the writing career every illusion is shattered into tiny pieces. Here are few:

1. Writing is Easy. It’s anything but easy. Anybody who believes that, has definitely  not struggled with  troublesome characters, tricky knots in plots, hard character  growths  and  truant muses. They have not stared at blank pages and screens for  long  periods of time, nor have they struggled with several edits and laboured over  rewrites.

2. Getting a book Published is not Difficult.  People who think like that do not  belong to the publishing world. Getting a book published is more difficult than actually writing it. Manuscripts sit in the slush pile, agents are more elusive than a rainbow and editors are highly choosy about the manuscripts they  accept. Even after a manuscript is accepted there are the harsh edits  to wade through.

3. Writing can be a career option by itself. This is the  worst  illusion. People who think like that have not set their eyes upon  a writer’s royalty or advance cheques. Bills cannot be paid through the income one makes  from one’s book/s unless the  book wins a big prize or sells a million copies or is made into a movie. Most  writers have a day job and writing is relegated to the free hours or restricted to the late night hours.

4. Once a book is out, the next one is accepted faster. This is another illusion that needs to be broken. Unless the second  book is a part of a  series, its not easy to get it published if the first one was a stand alone book. With every book a writer must prove herself and the story must catch the editor’s  and agent’s eye.

5. Writers live a glamorous life. We wish. Most people think we writers live a glamorous life, where agents and editors are standing outside our doors waiting for our completed manuscripts, where people are hanging onto our words. If only. Writing is absolutely unglamorous. If  people could see us typing furiously or scribbling hard, the mess constantly surrounding us, the irritated expression on our faces at the thousand and one distractions we have to battle, and the hundred  things vying for  our attention, they would  surely  think differently. Most people have not witnessed the tormented expressions on our faces when we deal with tantrum throwing characters and  unruly muses.

I know I have been guilty of shattering the illusions a newbie writer has of a writer's life, perhaps I have even marred him or her for life, but, I am sure being forewarned is nothing short of a blessing. I am just bringing them face to face with reality. Have you seen any of your writing illusions being shattered? Did you have any illusion when you started this journey? Please share them with us.