Yesterday my handsome little man, Connor, turned 2. Which means I have a totally legit excuse to post a picture of him, right?
Figuring out the whys won’t make the problems vanish, but it could really help you to better deal with their concerns.
For a lot of parents, money is a big (and rightful) concern about their son or daughter pursuing publication. The sad reality is you’re not going to make much as a writer, especially at first. Coming up with some ideas for a college degree that’s more likely to get you a job after graduation might help your parents get on board with writing.
Regardless of who your parents are, somewhere along the line, someone will think you should be doing something other than writing. Your no-nonsense Uncle who can’t wrap his mind around steampunk, your grandmother who thinks you should just get the book spiral-bound at Kinko’s and move on to a new hobby, and so on.
Respectfully dealing with people who dislike what you write, who think you should have finished your novel years ago, or who aren’t busting out their pom-poms for you is a skill that smart writers master. The publishing world is a mystery to the casual reader and their uneducated expectations can be beyond frustrating.
Ultimately your choice to pursue writing is just that – your choice. Guardians might choose to not pay for a creative writing degree or friends might balk at your dreams of publication. You might never find the magical words to convince them, but if you continue to be respectful to the naysayers in your life, yet steadfast in your writing pursuits, you may find they become cheerleaders before too long.