"Writing is a socially acceptable form of schizophrenia." ~E.L. Doctorow

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Green-Eyed Monster

Do you ever get that feeling ...you know the one they've nicknamed the Green-Eyed Monster? Yeah that's right I'm talking about jealousy, my friends.

The other day I was browsing one of my favorite blogs and the author was posting about how she was on her next wip. That would make three that she’s completed in the time that I’ve finished a third of mine! **Cue the Jealousy** :\

She talks about how she spends all this time writing – goes away on writing vacations with her husband! **Cue more jealousy** And don’t get me wrong…I don’t hate her (well I do but not in that way). Mostly, I just wish I had that sort of opportunity to make my writing work.

I mean this is my dream job, right? But my real life intercedes constantly. (Not that I would give up my kiddos or hubby for anything – publication or not. The day job on the other hand….)

Each writer has their own path to take, though, in order to get to where they want to be. And mine is spent carving out whatever spare time I can amidst a heavily chaotic real life.

Do you guys ever feel this way?

7 comments:

Nicole said...

Um... only like 6 out of 7 days. One day a week I try to think I am pretty awesome. :D

I get Green-eyed about time. I want to be super woman but find I am merely mortal and that frustrates me more than anything. And so I just give up things. Time and a season right?

C.M. Villani said...

Yeah, I should have probably clarified better. I'm not jealous of the writer themself - actually I think its is awesome that they can do that... I'm just jealous of how much glorious time they get to spend focused on their wrting!

I'd love to have a handful of uninterupted hours every day to write. But alas I have the constant call of laundry and dishes tugging at me instead. :(

MERYL JAFFE, PhD - parent, psychologist, teacher, author... said...

I think we all do! We are sometimes so busy looking at the goal at the end of the tunnel (or at what others have achieved), and forget to look at the the wonders we have created and achieved. I like your saving a 'sabbath' day for to think about you.

Just a note, I love your short posts. They are inviting, honest and so easy to get through!

Hope you visit me sometime and leave your pithy, witty, insightful comments for others to read!

All the best and happy new year,
Meryl Jaffe
www.departingthetext.blogspot.com

Katrina said...

Sometimes I feel jealous, and I have to tell myself, "Okay, she's/ he's not on easy street, either. She/he has to WORK for this, too."

Usually I have this small depression mode right after a rejection. Then, I feel the whole world is out to get me, and it's easy to glare at a fellow writer and think that they have all the luck.

As long as I take a couple deep breaths and work through it, it's all good. :)

C.M. Villani said...

Thanks, Meryl and Cat! I don't know about you but hearing that other people are out there going through the same things is very comforting. That’s what’s great about the online writer community.

So upon further review, my theory about this topic is as such. The jealousy factor is compounded by guilt - my own. I think "how badly am I slacking that this person has finished three stories while I'm not even done with one?"

I'm envious, I guess, but as all of you have said, it happens to all of us. I think what defines us is how we deal with the guilt/jealousy factor. Do we get annoyed and publicly ridicule that person for being so efficient or do we take their success and use it as motivation in our own lives.

Personally I’m going to go with the later approach. :D

Kerry Ann @Vinobaby's Voice said...

I had a friend I hadn't seen in a while ask me yesterday, "So did you finish your book yet?" Then she looked at me like I am the world's biggest slacker when I pasted on a smile and slowly shook my head. Now, this was coming from a woman who hadn't picked up a book in 15 years. Of course she continued with, "Well, what have you been doing with ALL your time?"

Well, I've been dealing with life, which always seems to get in the way...

Good luck carving out some time and happy writing...

http://vinobaby.blogspot.com/

C.M. Villani said...

Oh I have experienced the "How can't you be done yet?" conversations, Vinobaby. Its maddening because well if you aren't a writer you just don't get it. Honestly, its like speaking Greek to them.

That's why I love the online writer's communities. There are people just like us who get everything we're dealing with.

So I hear ya!

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