Feb
Because my heart isn’t in it.
A lot of people have asked me over the last month or so with all the side things that I do, why I haven’t tried to expand on them, to broaden my range, or my name by taking advantage of going into business with the publishing industry in some way.
The honest answer is because my heart isn’t in it.
I love to write, although some days I do hate it. I could edit, I could review, I could do about a dozen different things with the resources I have, experience and knowledge, business sense, and the internet to aid me. But it wouldn’t be what I would really want to do, which is really just write. Whether it’s good or (more often) bad, that’s fine. I’m doing something that frustration, emotional or mental strain and financial strain hasn’t deterred me from yet.
I think that makes a big argument for NOT doing something. When you can do something with all the trials that comes with it, and you still want to do it, regardless, then that is passion. I have passion for my writing. I have passion for other people’s writing. My book buying binges attests to that without argument. I know me well enough to say that right now, and probably for a few years to come, this won’t be changing.
How well do you know yourself? If you were given the opportunity to do more, would you? There’s enough businesses out there that could hire. (taking it for granted that it’s a position you would be qualified for-not the subject here. 
) If you did, why would you do it? To improve your skills? Learn a new one? For recognition? Why?
Well… my passion is, put as simply as possible, for beautiful things.
I love to design anything beautiful, although my usual mediums are either fabrics (as in home decor and occasionally dresses) or graphic design/HTML/CSS (as in websites, booklets, book covers, etc).
My love of beautiful things carries into writing as I create a story that is (to me) beautiful. This is why writing the dialog, the romance, the tension, and the emotion is enjoyable… and this is why I’m not so good at the conflict and non-romance plot elements. I don’t care for those parts. I wish someone could write those parts for me.
But that’s probably the easiest way to explain the often-appearing-complicated interests of Katie!
February 29th, 2008 at 10:36 amI can agree. I love taking the emotional romantic elements of a story and making them real. I think that’s why I have a passion for writig. Often, it does feel like work, but then to be serious about it, it does have to be a job and something I can commit to. I don’t really feel that way about anything else.
February 29th, 2008 at 10:55 amYou make an excellent point about doing what you love. I was better than most at my old day job in the science field, but that wasn’t where my interest lay and I grew to hate it.
I now work longer hours for less pay and I am having the time of my life. Writing books and my new day jobs of yoga instructor and newspaper reporter suit the person I’ve become.
Great post!
February 29th, 2008 at 3:46 pmMaggie
http://www.maggietoussaint.com
No Second Chance releases in print today
I have tried to explain to my husband that I’m doing “research” when I spend a fortune on romance novels. Even if I sold, I don’t think I’ll ever recoup my investment, LOL. But I do love to write, and I love my day job too. I feel fortunate that I have an outlet for creativity, and can’t imagine doing anything else.
February 29th, 2008 at 4:01 pmExcellent observation, Diana. I’m doubly blessed in that I’m doing what I love doing twice! Teaching and now writing. Although there are days I get so tired of doing the teaching gig (after 30+ years), I think back on the two years I lived in Tennessee and had to work in the business world, and I say, “Uh-uh. Not that again. No way.”
February 29th, 2008 at 5:55 pm