Wednesday, January 31, 2007

do haberdashers have self-doubt?

This is depressing. Perhaps it’s not too late to try for a career in something easier like particle physics, less depressing like classical ballet, or with a brighter future like haberdashery.—Pat Walsh, 78 Reasons Why Your Book May Never Be Published & 14 Reasons Why It Just Might

Isn’t that quote perversely encouraging? It makes me laugh about my chosen field. (Maybe I just have a warped sense of humor.) I just finished Pat Walsh’s grim and hilarious book, and it motivates me to work on my writing, to be as absolutely good as I can be ... even though the odds are terrible. Perverse again. Why choose this wall in particular to beat my head against?

Maybe because I’ve had a heavy fiction diet? Since last posting, I cruised through The Looking Glass Wars and Inkheart, and last night I started The Anybodies. I am having way too much fun with these books! Inkheart, especially, was fabulous, and now I’m more determined than ever to write young adult and middle grade fiction.

I cannot believe that it’s already time to look back on January. Remember all those resolutions? Remember the decision to stop timing myself? I haven’t timed my writing in weeks now, and it feels wonderful. I realized I don’t need to rely on a clock to tell me I’m not writing; I can tell without it. (Kind of a no-brainer, eh?) Not writing—for too long—makes me feel itchy and worthless, and it makes my nightly journal entries sound very bitter. And then I start debating a new career, like, say, haberdashery.

But now it’s time to rethink things for February, and guess what? I’m going to do something new: Learn Italian. Why not? It’s twenty-five degrees here, and I wouldn’t mind learning the language of a place drenched in sun, lemons, and olives. Plus, February 26 is the three-year anniversary of my trip to Sicily. (Three years!! And I’m not “over” Europe yet. I never will be.) I’m excited for a new language, a new skill. Maybe I can take a trip to Milan when I sign my book contract…—jl

Posted by Jenn Langefeld on 01/31 at 12:49 PM
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