Frustrated Writer

I would like to say that being a writer is all sunshine and roses, but that would be a lie.

The only career I have ever wanted since I was a child, in fact since I first learned how to read, was to be a writer.

I had dreamed of living in a cabin in the woods where I would write my books, which would be instant hits, and I would occasionally go to a party or two that my publisher threw in my honor. 

In between books I would be a world traveler. 

The words would flow from my fingers onto the page.

I read The Writer and Writer's Digest every month and began learning parts of my trade there weren't taught in English class. I took typing in high school so I could work the mechanics better.

From articles that I had read I learned that writers worked from home and lived in sweats.

I couldn't think of a better plan. One day that would be my life.

However, my plans were delayed due to motherhood and taking care of my grandmother. The sandwich generation skipped my mother and landed straight on me. 

Now the issue with supporting and caring for others who are dependent on you, is that they like to have a secure roof over their heads, food on the table, and clothes on their backs. Those are things most newbie writers (especially back in the days of all books being published in paper) cannot afford to do without a day job. Well, I had a day job and a night job, and the writing I did was not enough.

Years later, the tools of my trade have switched from manual typewriters to word processors to computers. Long gone are the days when you had to retype each page until you had a relatively clean copy. 

But the trade-off is having various companies hi-jack your computer for updates that you neither want nor need. 

That happened to me last night. I had finally gotten into the rhythm where the words were flowing from my fingers. Then the screen went black!

The laptop would not turn back on.

Nothing!

I had to unplug and remove the battery before the stupid thing would come back on.

When I finally got back into my document and gone were hundreds of words. Hundreds!!!

I was so discouraged I shut the damn thing off and watched John Stewart and Perry Mason.

Here's to hoping the words come back today. Otherwise Microsoft is in the doghouse.