The other night I was chatting on Twitter (as one tends to do when doing laundry). Authors Shiloh Walker and Yasmine Galenorn were talking about no matter how hard you try, you may not be successful as a writer. I can’t remember exactly how it happened, but the subject came up (might have been from L.A. Gilman) about how writers were a lot like actors and I quipped something about not being able to plan for fame. Rather than quote the whole conversation, I’d rather dive in and explain why this is absolutely the case from my perspective.

Actors and actresses make a living by acting and off their personal image. They get paid for their celebrity status in addition to their craft and have to work their asses off to be in the public’s attention at all times. It’s their job to look good and eat right in addition to working long hours and, at times, sacrifice personal relationships and social activities. When they’re not on the set? They still have to maintain their image and network to find the next gig. In short: most actors and actresses are usually working, even when they’re not.

Even though being an actress sounds glamorous, the reality of Hollywood is not the red carpet. There are literally thousands of actors and actresses that never make it to an award ceremony and thousands more that never even get paid (or credited) for their talents. Some get bit parts for years on end, hoping to catch a break, but never do. Some are stunt doubles; these folks are literally invisible on screen yet we appreciate what they do because they provide us with the suspension of disbelief. Many actors and actresses are what we would consider middle class. They act, they’re not loaded, but they manage to eke out a living and continue to get work. Sound familiar?

Writers are exactly the same way. Not every author can be Neil Gaiman or Charlaine Harris. Now, both of these authors didn’t wake up to a life of fame and fortune. They both worked and worked and worked until they caught a break (or a series of them, depending upon how you look at it.) Yes, talent has a lot to do with it, but success in this industry doesn’t just come from talent. It comes from making smart career choices, honing your craft, meeting the right people, being in the right place at the right time, and reaching readers who will gladly plunk down money for your work. Writers cannot budget based on what money they haven’t earned yet or what fame they may one day achieve. Unless you’re lightning in a bottle? Chances are you have to work and work and work. Or, in this case, write and write and write.

To use the acting analogy, many authors would love to be the next Angelina Jolie or Tom Cruise. Fine. Let’s use both as an example. Angelina? 41 credits as an actress, 3 as a producer, 2 as a director and 1 as a writer. She was in eight full-length films before HACKERS and thirteen before GIA, which I consider her breakout hit. Tom Cruise. 37 credits as an actor, 15 as producer, 1 as director and 1 as writer. RISKY BUSINESS was his fifth full-length feature film and TOP GUN was his eighth.

The point I’m trying to make, is that neither celebrity woke up one day and was instantly famous. They had to work at it. Even then, next time you have five minutes of your free time, write down how many actors and actresses you can name off the top of your head. Then go back and list your favorite movies and compare the two. Which actors/actresses did you forget to add? Actors constantly have to seek out media attention (whether they want to or not) before they’re forgotten in lieu of the next micro-trend or reality TV star. For women, it’s even worse because age is a factor in getting gigs, too.

It’s a little different for authors because you’re creating a work of art with words, not images. You could be a supreme asshat, weigh 1,000 pounds, be uglier than sin, and still pen a good tale that people will voraciously consume. Author platform aside, you typically don’t have all the jobs an actor does because the story is the performance that occurs without you being captured on screen. Your weight and your looks really doesn’t matter as much.

After I published my post, author E. E. Knight also pointed out this great bit of insight, too.

Writers have a lot more avenues that are still in the craft that generate income. A writer trying to sell a novel can still earn some money writing professionally (my first real money writing was for nonfiction). Actors usually have to work outside their craft while waiting for a paid role.

I’ve always said (and will continue to say) that every author has to make their own choices. It’s your path, not mine. As you continue to hone your craft, I feel you have to face yourself in the mirror one day and ask yourself what you really want. Would you rather be pining away on a street corner while secretly jealous of those on the red carpet? Or would you rather be getting paid for what you do and focusing on your next step?

I may not be a very famous author, or so I often joke, but I’ll tell you what. I’m a working one and I love this job to pieces. Of course, I wouldn’t turn down fame and fortune if it came a-knocking. I may be pragmatic, but I’m not a fool. Regardless, I know what I can and can’t control. I’d rather focus on what I can work on than what I can’t. At least that’s what I keep telling myself. 🙂

Mood: In Technology Awe.
Caffeinated Beverages Consumed: Averaging about three a day. Today looks mild-to-temperate.
Work-Out Minutes Logged Yesterday: Didn’t, because I pulled a muscle.
Word Count Logged Yesterday (not including day job): Sacrificed writing time for new computer time! And cleaning office time!
In My Ears: Mortal Kombat Soundtrack
Game Last Played: Farmerama
Movie Last Viewed: Red
Book Last Read: Carpe Jugulum: Discworld by Terry Pratchett
Latest Artistic Project: Byzantium chainmail bracelet with soft pink and black rings
Upcoming Release: Strange, Dead Love for Vampire: the Requiem