I find individual members of my family lovable but recently some of them seem to have taken it into their heads that writing is an unworthy activity - a sort of hobby, a pastime. It is true that for the past 3 or 4 years we have been astonishingly hard up because of the economic climate in the UK - and until recently we were receiving benefits.
I have written before I think about how my first husband urged me to go out to work rather than write, at about the time a publisher had expressed interest in my first non-fiction project.... and how marriage and starting a family happened almost as soon as my first ever work was published. I have been writing full time since January 2012 - that decision felt briefly "vindicated" when TRF was noticed by an agent - see earlier posts.... after a long wilderness period of writing, trying things out, losing faith and so on, I have two New York agents interested in The Ash Grove - and I am immediately told by my father (87) and a sister (48) that I must go out to work! I tell them I am broadly faced with a choice between being a carer at £7.00 an hour, or perhaps getting on the tills at Aldi for £8.65 an hour. I would not be able to choose my hours...I don't think they believe me, I point out all the other things I do for money (odd bits of catering,.hosting students, B&B and even the odd bit of writing) but they don't seem to realise that this does add up.
Ironically these two family members are the ones who are strong on being encouraging - both have repeatedly said "If only you could find something worthy of your talents"... do they really think I should take ANY job... do they understand how disruptive of the work this is? Arrrrrggggggggghhhhhhhhh
I think what I find so oppressive is that they should have chosen now - when, objectively I look like I might be going to get somewhere...it creates the impression that they don't believe in me or my abilities - maybe I should write to them and tell them that.
Anyway, it is rather a shame at my advanced age that they should decide I need to be whipped into line. I know my father thinks I am going to squander all the money he gives me - and his idea that he is going to live to 112 is rather absurd... if he does he will certainly have to use all his funds to go into a home. Unless I take him in to so that he can spend more time being unhelpful about my writing.
I have written before I think about how my first husband urged me to go out to work rather than write, at about the time a publisher had expressed interest in my first non-fiction project.... and how marriage and starting a family happened almost as soon as my first ever work was published. I have been writing full time since January 2012 - that decision felt briefly "vindicated" when TRF was noticed by an agent - see earlier posts.... after a long wilderness period of writing, trying things out, losing faith and so on, I have two New York agents interested in The Ash Grove - and I am immediately told by my father (87) and a sister (48) that I must go out to work! I tell them I am broadly faced with a choice between being a carer at £7.00 an hour, or perhaps getting on the tills at Aldi for £8.65 an hour. I would not be able to choose my hours...I don't think they believe me, I point out all the other things I do for money (odd bits of catering,.hosting students, B&B and even the odd bit of writing) but they don't seem to realise that this does add up.
Ironically these two family members are the ones who are strong on being encouraging - both have repeatedly said "If only you could find something worthy of your talents"... do they really think I should take ANY job... do they understand how disruptive of the work this is? Arrrrrggggggggghhhhhhhhh
I think what I find so oppressive is that they should have chosen now - when, objectively I look like I might be going to get somewhere...it creates the impression that they don't believe in me or my abilities - maybe I should write to them and tell them that.
Anyway, it is rather a shame at my advanced age that they should decide I need to be whipped into line. I know my father thinks I am going to squander all the money he gives me - and his idea that he is going to live to 112 is rather absurd... if he does he will certainly have to use all his funds to go into a home. Unless I take him in to so that he can spend more time being unhelpful about my writing.
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