Navigate Novel Spaces

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Bucket list, schmucket list


Che Gilson inadvertently started a writing bucket list theme with her post this month and it got me thinking. I don't have a regular bucket list. I have a fairly good idea of what I'd like to do before I kick the, um, pail--travel more, have a garden of my own again, teach part time, move out of my mother's house--the usual pedestrian stuff. I'd probably fare better with a buck-it list along the lines of Sunny Frazier's because I've survived more than my share of hair-raising situations, but unlike Sunny, I'm not ready to share these imbroglios with the world just yet.

That brings me to the writing bucket list, regarding which I'm even more list-less.

  • I'm writing in all the genres I want to, and publishing in most. 
  • I've had one novel and one short story traditionally published, and I've indie published twelve titles in four genres. 
  • I've won one writing prize, been shortlisted for another, and would like to win an influential literary prize some day, but it's not a consuming passion and I'd be just as happy if I didn't. 
  • I've gone from someone who wrote as if my life depended on it to a blocked author who did not write much, and back again to a disciplined and dedicated scribbler. 
  • I have in my possession complete drafts, partially written ones and scores of ideas/outlines for others, so I'm in no danger of running out of ideas for stories.

Alarmed by my list-lessness, I decided to come up with a writing bucket list by hook or crook. Everyone else has one, it seems! So I strained my poor brian and finally came up with three items. Here they are, in no particular order, and no, I wasn't drunk when I wrote them.

1. Earn enough at this writing job to support myself comfortably.
2. Earn enough at this writing job to support myself comfortably.
3. Earn enough at this writing job to support myself comfortably.

There we have it. My entire writing bucket list. Simple, innit?

8 comments:

  1. Your list is remarkably similar to mine, Liane. I'd refine mine a bit to say get paid regularly - or at least predictably. I've had good years and bad years and really, really bad years. My best year ever came in the form of a single sale (rescued a novel by a *name* who couldn't be bothered).
    As you know I've just finished my MFA in hopes of teaching writing at the university level. So far, my CV hasn't generated a storm of interest, but I remain hopeful.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Very similar to what i would say on this topic.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Kevin, regular and more or less predictable income? I'm adopting your refinements. My best year was 2009 thanks to the Dorchester advance--which isn't saying much. This year so far has been my second best, but nothing to write home about.

    Give that CV some time. It's early days yet.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Charles, yes. Just let's get paid!

    ReplyDelete
  5. LMAO, that is priceless! Your bucket list is the plan, the goal, and the bucket-schmuckey-diggity!!! Love it!
    !

    ReplyDelete
  6. I'm with Kevin: be paid regularly and predictably. I've had booms some years and busts others. 2013 was a relatively good year, yet I couldn't live by it. So yes Liane, that's definitely on my bucket list.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Jewel, the unpredictability is a bit nerve-wracking. Haven't had a boom year so far, but at least I got royalty cheques in 2013.

    ReplyDelete

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.