I’d like to add something else. You are NOT being selfish by enjoying your life. A lot of folks keep saying that you can help more if you get a high-paying job, but that’s not how it works. You’ll get the money, sure, but being separated from the things you actually want to do? Especially as a creative? That takes a huge toll. A very harmful one.
We express our emotions on our works, and getting rid of those mediums would not be beneficial to anybody. It can change you, and not in a good way. Of course, I’m not saying it happens all the time but I’ve seen enough to know that putting money as the center of your life (even with the pretense of trying to help the people around you) will leave you unsatisfied in the end.
It is a hard life. Your family might keep trying to urge you to let it go, but I hope you won’t. Especially since it seems to be a precious life for you.
@Shyranno If his comments were coming from a place of love then he shouldn’t have filled you with pain, despair and paralysis. Sorry but he might just be coming from a toxic place.
Writing is a valuable skill that will help you in all walks of life including business. This is going to be especially true in the work from home revolution. Written skills are becoming more important and the old office politics skills less so.
Full 100% sincerity. The only one that is saying bullshit is your family’s member. You have a job and you are happy, you can maintain yourself and have a healthy lifestyle leaving time to your hobbies.
You are rich and lucky. You don’t have to study something you don’t like for people who aren’t looking for what is best for you Because that person only is thinking about exploiting you, I have family like that. They really thinking: " If Shyran does that, I could use that to get a job or get X favour. Imagine if Shyran reach X position I can get…"
They aren’t thinking in your happiness. And that is what should be the important part, your happiness.
Sounds like your relative’s talking some bullshit to me. A lot of people underestimate the skills that writers have, because they think that anybody can write. But you know that that’s not true. The skills that you have, and that you use in your writing, are valuable and will help people. Don’t let this person’s words get to you. Keep doing what you’re doing and it will make a difference to people’s lives.
Your post strikes really close to home. I grew up with same expectations too - but increasingly so, I’ve come to appreciate that money is not everything. That this so-called ‘golden route’ is not for everyone.
Success can be defined in so many ways other than the salary you earn, and helping people can be achieved in more ways than being in a high-paying position.
And personally? I think you stand a greater chance of reaching out to and helping people through art. There are so many ways in which creative pursuits can touch the heart. To connect with people so deeply and beautifully, in ways you may never even know.
And perhaps it’s a cynical part of me talking, but when stuck in a high paying position? I would think tthere’s a lot of red tape and other obligations that will need to be considered, over and above ‘helping people’. Unfortunately.
And besides, we don’t really turn to our bosses or superiors when we feel down, do we? We turn to music, stories, and art.
So, no. You are not being selfish, and your cousin’s criticism is invalid.
Wow, I’m overwhelmed by the responses here. Thank you all so, so much. You guys are absolutely wonderful, do you know that? I wish I had the words to express how grateful I am that you all took the time to write out words of support, advice, and comfort.
You guys are right. Screw what my cousin has to say. A life that’s different is not bad.
Always remember that what is right for you is unique and because it is unique, only you can figure out what is right and what isn’t. Keep that truth in your core and stay true to it.
Here we are halfway through the month.
At first, things started off o.k, but I’ve hit a snag in this goal.
I am missing files… most likely I have been missing them since my computer melted last year, but I did not realize it until today when I went looking for one of them. Hopefully, I can track down copies, but this is just one more speed bump to overcome.
Eiwynn Tip: Back-up your files… triple back them up. I normally have my:
working file
daily back-up
weekly back-up on portable external device (currently a HDD)
weekly cloud back-up
Why so many? Because of times like this where I’ve lost thousands and thousands of words to accident and error.
Be sure to keep track of which of the files you are using as “hot” or “live” files… that way you don’t end up using old script or old writing that you have already changed.
I hope everyone is doing well this weekend… it is snowing here; not a lot when compared to other parts of the world, but more than normal for here.
I am so behind this month… I really want to get something out in the next two weeks but I doubt very much it will be a complete chapter.
I know some people have told me to take my time and not rush, but I really would still like to maintain my monthly updates because seeing the progress I make every month, and hearing back from people who are playing, really helps motivate me. Plus, I really do want to get my WIP finished by the end of August if at all possible.
Hopefully I can still manage to cobble together something good.
I feel you so much on this one.
Thinking of a great, catchy title that summarizes your whole story is still one of my greatest difficulties. Sometimes it pops in your mind or you spend most of the time cracking your head for ideas. cries
Nevertheless, EYYY congratulations on your progress!!!
Well… I don’t think I can pull of my goal this month has I am editing chapter 3’s climax so very much, has I am fixing up a part of the climax that was tough for me to write - and since i am dedicated to doing the climax I haven’t worked on the build up to said climax.
To summarise: my brain wants to do the action and the fallout rather then the lead up to said action.
Thankfully I literally have a word doc dedicated to being an editing room for my story, where I basically just ctrl C all the stuff that wont work in my story and give a reason why it wont work.
I didn’t make a lot of progress. I have made an outline and stuff for new stuff. But I am not sad and even if I am not happy, I am at least in peace. So for me, that is a good one. The mental exercises are working great, same with the herbal medicine and teas.
Sometimes it is better than a big word account, prepare yourself and give time to heal and just rest. We are all affected by the pandemic and in my case being basically jailed at home due the quarantine politics of Galicia, which are one of the most radical in Spain.
I resolved last night at 4am to try my hand at making my first ever IF game! I was struck with inspiration and just started writing and theorising. I have the threads of some scenes together.
The downside here is that I have never coded anything before in my life, so it’s probably going to be non-functional for a good long while yet.
…This is going to be a disaster, I can feel it already. Even so, I’m willing to try. I can’t get better at something if I never try it, right?
@jackjackjack I know the feeling you are having right now. Don’t feel shame for sharing it. It is not a disaster, and even if it is bad. It is your first trial. Lol, my first trial was ridiculous.
And I just have made a jam with only a participant. So If there is someone to feel ashamed here is me.
But I don’t feel ashamed, I did my best, Even if was a failure, I learned a lot from that. And I at least inspired one person to write something new.
@jackjackjack Yeah I am in the same boat. Took me quite some time to get the code working how I wanted and get a feel for it but it isn’t that bad. CSIDE has some great tutorials taking you through it step by step that helped me a lot.
@Shyranno Do what you enjoy! A high paying job will not make the world any better, most likely will benefit your boss more then contribute to more global equality. At least this way you have more time to think about what makes you more happy (and if that is helping people you will find a way to succeed, doing something you like because it is what YOU wanted, not somebody else)
It was a lot of puzzle piecing than writing since I had to figure out where the story would diverge into three differing paths based on a variable. I moved it ‘down’ farther than I thought and put multiple if, else if, else commands beneath the various options (keep walking, turn around and take a look, call the police, call your dad).
So I think the coding skeleton is all in place for this section and can finally be fleshed out with the narrative. That was the biggest road block for me; getting a satisfying code structure.
Also thought of some more achievements and a new boolean variable that will hopefully have a ripple effect for later chapters. For instance, if you call your dad maybe you’ll see him later in the story? I’m not sure what sort of impact I’ll make it have, but it’ll be something.
Prologue is at 5,000 or so words and I know that’s barely anything compared to some writers’ first chapters. I know it’ll grow bigger and bigger as I keep writing, but insecurity sucks. I keep telling myself though that it’s barely halfway done though, so that’s something to look forward to.
in your mind or you spend most of the time cracking your head for ideas. cries