Controversy surrounding my writing

Over the weekend I had a substantial controversy with my wife over my writing "hobby." It's not that she thinks it's a hobby, it's that she thinks I spend too much time doing it. She also doesn't see why I refer to it as "work."

I won't argue I lack good balance between the facets of my life. I do have the distinct tendency to become rather embroiled in (some would say "obsessed with") things; some would even see the repeating pattern scattered throughout all my so-called "hobbies" over time.

Writing was never really a hobby for me, but it is so difficult and so time-consuming that it's truly very hard to ever finish anything (and thus why others would see it as a hobby). In 1993 I did write the first draft of my first novel in about a year, but that was accomplished only by working literally every night and every weekend that I could spare. It was very long, about 300,000 words, and it was complete crap. Since the first book was only half the story, I did embark on writing the second part and wrote about 150,000 words over the next year, or so. I eventually rewrote the first "book" and I'm still trying to finish the second. If I survive my current writing project, I will finish it.

I have been writing stuff since ... forever. In junior high I was writing things and my friends were reading them. I knew I had talent, but since I have talents in several areas, I guess I never saw writing as something particularly unusual or special. But it is.

I no longer look at writing as something in which to dabble. I believe I can publish. It's just a matter of doing the writing then pursuing the book deal. I don't really care how difficult it's supposed to be, or how many others think they can write but really can't. I really can write. And I want to write.

I saw this blog post and though it's not about writing, the feelings of the author resonate with me. It doesn't matter how difficult the task is, and it doesn't matter that most fail. What matters and what we both fear is in not trying.

I am not ordinary—never have been. I should be able to do this thing I've set for myself, and I need to get started before I get too much older and the risk of dying becomes too great. The biggest tragedy would be not trying and thus failing to achieve. I should take my writing seriously, and approach it with the same determination to succeed that I pursue my IT career.

So it's valid when I say I have work to do. I need to be persistent and dedicated to it, otherwise I won't accomplish my goals. I'm not sure I could ever make enough money writing to quit my day job, but that's not really the goal. I simply want to have something written and published, and for what it's worth, have a small audience that wants to read my stuff. It's only then if that doesn't satisfy me will I look to the next goal down the line.