May 24, 2006
I was just reading Joe Konrath's blog about work ethic and his kind of tongue-and-cheek rules. In my case, clearly, with my agent shopping around a manuscript, with a novel coming out in October and a 2nd in the pipeline and we just submitted a proposal for 3 more novels, I've got a lot on the burner.

I make a living as a writer, and it's still a novelty and a delight, although I've now been doing it fulltime for about 18 months or so.

I very much hope the Dancing novel gets picked up along with a multi-book option.

I hope MI picks up all three books in the proposal and I hope the upcoming novels do very well.

Still, I'm a working writer. That means, I don't necessarily think that the movie deal, the 6-figure advance, the Oprah pick are around the corner. It's a job and a great one if you can get it and you're equipped for it (I firmly believe not all aspiring writers are suitably equipped for the ups and downs and uncertanties of the writing life--be warned). So, no matter what happens, I will continue on doing what I'm doing, trying to make a living as a writer.

Amazingly enough, there's enough Zen Buddhist in me (along with United Methodist, a combination made in hell, I suppose) to understand that contentment is a pretty vital thing and not necessarily exclusive from ambition and hope.
Yes, I HOPE many things for my career. But I'm also quite content with where I am.

Best,
Mark Terry