Job Loss Propels Writer to Stardom . . . Not! (Part I)

Somebody told me the other day that agents were getting flooded with manuscripts by people forced out of their day jobs by the economy. At first I thought it seemed plausible. After all, I sometimes have fantasies about not having a day job and being able to write all day.

But then I thought--naw!

If people didn't have time to write when they had their day job, will they really find time to write when they don't? Usually, "not enough time" is just one of those excuses for not writing. It goes in the same category as "I'm waiting for my muse" or "writer's block." 

My theory is that people who really want to write, find time to write. Now, they might not have as much time as they'd like, but they use whatever time they are given to put butt in chair and hands on keyboard. They produce stories and/or novels. They submit. They get rejections. They join critique groups. They attend conferences. They try to get better. And, all this time, they secretly wish they had more time to do all of these.

More on this topic tomorrow . . .