Now Playing: Edgar Allan Poe
So, since I've been seeing "The Raven" movie advertised everywhere, I started thinking about one of my favorite writers, Edgar Allan Poe, again.
Now, I do like his work, I mean I LOOOOVE his work, but sometimes he gets a little wordy. I'm thinking of the story "Ligeia". To get to the heart of the story, you have to read about three or four pages of why he Loooves Ligeia, so you get why he can't really love his second wife. Okay, maybe that is needed, but I think one or two paragraphs on the subject would be enough. But let's face it, the man knew how to write, and so let me get to my point:
What gets me is that I read his autobiography last night and it is completely depressing. The man couldn't make any money as an artist. As an editor and a critic, he could, but then he never felt appreciated monetarily and quit. Let's face it, trying to acheive any artistic success is difficult and for many, there is very little reward. So you do have the drudgery of every day life you have to deal with just to survive. But this was EDGAR ALLAN POE! The guy was ahead of his time and maybe that is why he wasn't so successful. But you think someone could've thrown him a bone! I mean he was brilliant. (Too brilliant probably, and made everyone else jealous?) I don't know. But it makes me think that if Edgar Allan Poe couldn't get paid decent money for his work -- couldn't even live off of royalties, what chance do I have? Sure, if anyone has any artistic temperament they HAVE to write, or HAVE to draw, or HAVE to create something. But again, you have to wonder, is it going to come to something.
I don't know about other writers, but I find myself questioning my abilities all the time. Will people like this? Will this make any money? Am I leaving out too much or did I say too much? What will become of my work in one hundred years time? Will people even care?
So, anyway, I realize my rambling is all over the place, but I have come to this conclusion:
I may not be the best writer, the best story teller, or the most successful, but I HAVE to write. And in writing, I'm allowed a voice I don't normally get to use, nor one I would want to use everyday. And through the wonderful folks of Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords, and others, I can let that voice be heard. As far as anyone wanting to hear that voice - well, it's up to them. But I like the fact that I can freely publish and sell my work without doggedly looking for agents and publishers. I've been through that, and all it got me was a lot of rejection and wasted time. No, maybe I'm not a high level writer, and maybe I won't make any money at it, but at least I CAN do it.
And no, I don't compare to Poe, but at least I can say I tried.
