In keeping with the “Ally’s under deadline and can’t think of anything wise of her own to blog about” theme, today I’m going to ask everyone to go read this blog by megastar and (by all accounts) super adorable person, Sarah Dessen.
I’ve only met Sarah once, so I don’t dare proclaim to know her as well as I’d like, but reading this post made me really, really, really want to hug her.
Why? Because I’ve been there. In fact, every serious writer I know has been there. Writing a book can be HARD sometimes. I mean seriously hard.
…like you spontaneously break into tears while looking for butter at the grocery story (did it)
…like you lie awake for hours, staring at the ceiling, thinking you will never be able to publish again (do it)
…like you throw up every time you talk to your editor (did it)
…like you don’t leave your house for days on end because you know that the two hours it takes to go to Target might be the difference between making your deadline-slash-everything being fine and people at your publisher getting fired (doing it right now)
Yeah, that kind of hard.
This, by the way, is why I don’t take lightly the question of “how old should teens be before they try to publish their novel?” This is why I take that question VERY SERIOUSLY.
Writing is something we writers do for fun. Publishing, meeting deadlines, creating quality stories and work OUT OF THIN air is hard. So very, very hard that people have to call upon every ounce of confidence, support, life experience, and stamina that they have to do it.
If you feel like you’re ready (emotionally, physically, and spiritually) to be in a situation where people might get fired if you can’t create and perfect an entire book in a matter of months, then yes, try to get published.
If not, then enjoy life for a while. Go to the movies, hang out with your friends, watch TV, fly a kite, bake a cake, shoot some hoops. And put off your deadline-enduced nervous breakdown for a while. Trust me.
It isn’t always that way, but it can be. Some books are that way almost the whole time and others only have brief moments, but the crazy and the pressure and the stress are always there, lurking.
Always, always there.
And now I’ve got to get back to it.
-Ally
Anonymous says
October 11, 2010 at 11:54 pmI LOVE YOU ALLY!!!!!
Kenya15 says
October 12, 2010 at 12:18 amHi Ally,
You know,I was just wondering when your deadline was.
I can’t stop reading your books Ally.I reread them over and over again.When I get all your books (and read them all) I think I might donate them to my school.I’m sure tons of kids would love your books!! 🙂 <3
Kendra says
October 12, 2010 at 3:59 amGood luck, and don’t worry about anything. Drink Diet Coke and eat homemade chocolate cookies before and after you write or type.
You’re writing books people like, and that’s what matters to us.
louisa1 says
October 12, 2010 at 11:06 amhi ally
just wondering after you finsh the series GG & HS will you write a new series. no presure just wondering. love your books!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
from you number1 fan!
BookSnob says
October 12, 2010 at 9:12 pmGood warning. Thank you, Ally. *slurks into hole to ponder*
Amy says
October 13, 2010 at 7:37 pmHi Ally! I just wanted 2 say that you are doing a great job! Writeing is a hard job, I bet. People don’t take it seriously enough, I think. They’re just like “Oh! Writing is so easy! All you have to do it type a book and get some money.” That is sooooo NOT it! Authors deserve more credit than that. Just hope you keep your spirits up and keep on trying! Good luck!
Anonymous says
October 13, 2010 at 7:40 pmHi ally!!!!!!! When can you do another one of those question/answer blogs? I think they are totally informative. Good luck with writing!!!!!!!!!
Anonymous says
October 13, 2010 at 9:13 pmDont stress your self to much ally!!! i hope you get to go to target soon and if i knew where you lived i would send you cookies but sadly i cant.
Anonymous says
October 14, 2010 at 11:15 pmsarah dessen is one of my favorite authors! (: her books are soo good. highly recommend you guys to start reading them.. now (if you haven’t already).
Anonymous says
October 16, 2010 at 12:26 amI LOVE your books sooo much!!! You are such a good writer. I was wondering how you came up with all the characters names, whenever I write I just write a name that first comes into my head, so I was wondering how you came up wiht yours.
Anonymous says
October 16, 2010 at 8:06 pmoooh i love her! her new book is coming out in may!
*squeling*
love ya
sammy keyes
9no its not my real name but i love those books to tears
Kt says
October 18, 2010 at 10:14 pmWe all appreciate your hard work Ally! Once I had to write a REALLY important report for school, and I flipped out! What I realized is take a day to your self!! Relax, watch movie, read a good book :)! you’ll fell much better afterwards!!!!!!!!
Hannah says
October 21, 2010 at 2:21 amhello ally! i was wondering if you would ever make a book in zacks point of veiw? thanks 🙂
Anonymous says
October 25, 2010 at 9:43 pmhey ally!im a huge fan! and i would love to play the role aas bex… what year go you think the movie auditions will be?