SUSAN LUTE

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Dear Diary

Happy Writers

February 24, 2010

Tags: writing, publishing world, author thoughts

Dear Idella,

Here's one for you. What makes a happy writer? I always thought being happy with my writing had to do with how many words I wrote in a day, how quickly I got a project done. The truth is, happiness isn't about the quantity of work produced, but the quality of the work done and the time spent doing it.

Michael Hauge talks about character identity and essence. And, he suggests these two things are often at war with one another.

Lately, I've been thinking a lot about what it means to be an author. Identity...the mask we present to the world. Essence...that inner spark that defines us. What is my identity and essence? I have a suspicion, if we could understand these two things about ourselves, we could be happy writers.

Like you Idella, my identity is being the good caretaker...a carefully crafted mask that lets the world see only so much. My essence, on the other hand, is the determined novelist, that most curious of creatures, who finds a glimmer of understanding in the characters she writes about. Digging, prodding, uncovering the deepest secrets of the human soul as I write the great American novel, that's what makes me a happy writer.

What makes you happy?

Comments

February 25, 2010 12:06 AM EST

What makes me happy is the community of writers who I have the honor to call friends. Talking writing, the crazy business of writing. The writing itself is therapy, even when it makes me crazy trying to figure it out.

- Darla Lukenbaugh
February 25, 2010 12:01 PM EST

What makes me happy is reveling in all the success that surrounds me - whether it be friends accomplishing their goals or new spring crocus breaking ground. (And I love what you've done to your site, Suzie-Q!)

- Kaylin McFarren
February 25, 2010 12:44 PM EST

WOW. What an articulate and provocative post. My identity is the writer who needs to keep earning her living as a writer and who wants the NYT list. But my essence? May be something entirely different. It's soooo worth exploring. Scary and exhilarating.

I agree with Darla: It's the community to which I belong that gives me the greatest joy and contentment.

Thanks for being provoking, Su!!!

- Wendy Warren
February 25, 2010 1:04 PM EST

What makes me happy? Daydreaming my stories. I love imagining new endings to stories. Getting these daydreams down on paper is an entirely different story....

- Jessie
February 25, 2010 9:39 PM EST

You make me laugh Darla, but every word you say is absolutely true. It's surprising how the passion of writing can make you just as crazy as trying to put the words on paper :)

Thanks Kaylin :) When I look at the bright colors I have to smile. It's so unlike me - the girl who wears mostly black and white - isn't it?

Thanks Wen. At our mini con last weekend, I think it was Bob Mayer who said, perhaps it's time to step up and be a little afraid. That's the only way we're going to discover who we really are as writers. I think I agree with him.

Bless you Jessie. You remind me why I got into writing in the first place. Forward Ho! I say :D

- Susan