Damn Hard Writing

Everyone wants to be a writer. If I had a dollar for every time someone said to me, "I've thought about writing a book," . . . They all think it's something anyone can pick up in their spare time or retirement. They don't get that a writer's life is made up of sweat, tears, writing, rewriting, tearing up of manuscripts, rejection letters and despair, punctuated by moments of spectacular joy and satisfaction. They don't know that the greatest chance of success consists of little more than hard work followed by more hard work. There is no substitute.