Author Loathing: An IWSG Post
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| Image by Elisa from Pixabay |
I do not want to be an author. In my mind, an author is someone who manages business while maintaining the creative. Me? I only like the writing part. The rest of the stuff does nothing but cause me anxiety. That business business feeds that little nag in my soul that I've forgotten something...
Something big. Something important.
One time, the nag was right. My state required I get a business license to sell my books locally and I didn't realize when I set up my tax account that I had to turn off payments to social security and was fined for it. Fortunately, I found the error before the fines really started to accumulate. But I didn't know I had to do that. So, now, when I think about the business side, I constantly have that feeling of wearing my pajamas to class on the day of a huge test I forgot to add to my calendar and didn't study for. Oh, and it will be half of my grade.
Oh, reality. Why must you be so tedious?
*Fortunately, I met Donna Schramm, my small business coach from the West Virginia SBDC. She walked me through some of the red tape. So, I think I'm good, but now there is always that tine bit of insecurity and loathing that nips at the euphoria of pure creation.
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This month's optional question:
Many writers have written about the experience of rereading their work years later. Have you reread any of your early works? What was that experience like for you?
All that business stuff really can dampen the creative spirit, can't it? Sigh.
ReplyDeleteIt really does. We should just get to write and cash checks, lol.
DeleteCrap, if I'd been fined I would be gun-shy as well.
ReplyDeleteThe worst part is a person doesn't know what they don't know to know about.
DeleteWhy do taxes have to be so complicated?
ReplyDeleteProbably because it's a roomful of politicians making the rules, lol.
DeleteI'm glad you have a friend who walked you through the business aspects of your writing.
ReplyDeleteYikes, that would make have anxiety over everything! A business coach is a great.
ReplyDeleteMy worst set of feelings toward the business side of things is when they came up with a law that said I had to tell them every year who all was invested in my LLC. It's only me. Just let me do my business and leave me alone. I'm not laundering any money. I'm not making any money!
ReplyDeleteSmall business directors are great resources.
ReplyDeleteMy work business mistake was forgetting to upload an eBook for presale. Fortunately, it was my own!