Writing fiction is tough. I’ll tell you that for free.
It has a degree of difficulty far above that of non-fiction. Aside from the fact that bringing distinct characters to life, painting vivid scenes, churning out snappy dialogue and finding your own ‘voice’ as a writer is fucking tough, the competition is also fiercer.
For bigger publications in non-fiction, I may have up to a hundred competitors for a publication slot. For the smaller non-fiction markets, it will be a score or less.
The big fiction markets have hundreds of very competent writers battling over single slots. Most of the places in the well-regarded science fiction publications will be taken up by well-known writers, so the genuine opportunities are very few and far between.
The solution I can see to this is to write, submit, re-write, submit, rinse, and repeat.
So that is what I have done. According to Duotrope (a submission record tool I highly recommend) last calendar year I made 42 short story submissions. I had two acceptances, 35 rejections, and five are still pending a response.
Both of the acceptances were paying markets (one semi-professional and one token).
I’m told this is good for a first year’s effort, and personally I am fine with it. In fact I’m more than fine. Being a stay-at-home dad and writer is an immensely satisfying and rewarding experience. I’m reading more than I ever did, my fiction writing has vastly improved, and I get to spend time with my lively and intelligent two-year old (who also happens to be a future astronaut).
Writers tend to whinge a lot (and have the skills at their disposal to do it widely and well), but if you can get into this game – either part-time or full-time – you should probably shut the fuck up and revel in how good you got it.
Writers don’t have it tough.
Midwives at public hospitals – I reckon they have it tough. As do community workers, or humanitarian aid workers operating in a disaster zone. Or manufacturing workers whose industry has just been shut down, or hospitality workers on the minimum wage, or the cleaners in that office building you’re working in right now.
Hell, try being a climate scientist in Australia or the US today.
So let me amend the opening sentence of this review: being a writer isn’t tough – it’s a cakewalk.
Anyway, Year One wasn’t bad. I hope Year Two will be even better. A novel and a novella will be finished this year, as will a few pretty good short stories. Touch wood, of course and as always, touch wood.