Do I Want To Be A Writer?--Kurt Chambers

Do I want to be a writer? Does that seem like a strange question? It's one I have actually asked myself on several occasions. Unlike 99.9% of the other authors I have met on my travels, I haven't lived and breathed writing since the day I was old enough to hold a pen. I started very late in life when I was in my mid-thirties. The downfall of this is I had to start learning most of the things that other writers take for granted, like knowing stuff...lol... Everyone here who has written a novel and dabbled in the submission process will fully appreciate just how hard this is, and the shear amount of work that's involved. It's a LOT of hard work. It's emotionally draining. A roller coaster ride of highs and lows. It takes literally years of dedication to endure the publishing process from writing a novel to getting it published, and you receive absolutely no financial reward until you do. I really don't need to spell it out to all the authors out there who are doing this every day of their lives. You know exactly what I'm talking about. So, despite everything, you soldier on and finish your novel; edit it a billion times. You do your homework and research until your head is about to explode. That's not to mention the endless networking and promoting. Then one day you get that magical acceptance letter. Man! I know what that feels like ...lol... It's an amazing feeling! Short lived unfortunately, but that's another story. (Getting Published) It's what happens next that scares me. That's when you can't just plod along in your own merry little way any more. The real work is only just beginning! That's where I am right now. I've done all of the above and I'm working towards that acceptance letter. For me, it may have been harder than it was for most other authors. I haven't been writing all my life. None of this comes naturally, I struggle with everything I do. Just the thought of what a publisher or agent would expect if they offered me a contract scares the crap out of me. Would I be able to deal with my normal crazy life and still cope with the pressure of producing well written books on demand? Have I even got what it takes? Do I actually want to be a writer? See, it's not such a strange question for me to ask considering my situation. Of course, the answer to the question is obvious; I'm already a writer. Too late now! haha!! And I will see it through to the end, however long that takes, and however scary things might become. No one said life was easy, right? I'm sure I'm not the first author in the world that feels this way before they get accepted for publication, and I'm sure I won't be the last. Bring it on, publishing world. What's the worst that can happen?