Yalei Wang

The things i'll say about being a writer

So it's officially confirmed. I'll be speaking at careers night about the truth about being a writer at my old high school. It was quite quaint actually, in the email i had to smile because my careers counsellor has been trying to convince the girls ( i went to an all girls school ) to become electricians and noone wants to do it. Ha, they should. It's a way easier path albeit less glamorous ( but is writing really that glamorous? ) I feel like i'm making a big deal about things ( as per usual ) but i'm seriously thinking about what i'm going to tell these girls. It also depends on the way the night is structured. Whether each person gets to have a go on the stage or if its like one of those ' open day ' things where there are stands in which you can go to for specific info.

I'm gonna say that being a writer means you have to be REALLY tough.
I'm gonna say that it's a really unfair industry
I'm gonna say that your break could come in one night or seven years
I'm gonna say that you have to keep going even if no one cares about you
I'm gonna say that shit writing gets published, because the editors ego gets stroked
I'm gonna say that there's no such thing as ' good ' work, but just work that 'worked'

I don't know but i feel like there might be some restrictions on what the speakers are and aren't allowed to say. You know, being in a highschool there are certain things you can't breach. There are certain things that you can't say to impressionable young girls and the careers counsellor and the board will probably have that in mind. I was always way too ' radical ' during my high school years and hence why i didn't really get along with a lot of them. But i want to go back and show them all ( Especially my vice principal who said my eyeliner looked like i'd been punched in the eyes which resulted in me crying all the way home ) that even though i don't have a book deal yet, i'm a really focused, dedicated and savvy writer - and i wanna motivate and inspire other young writers like me to be strong and focused as well. You know what? Everyone always celebrates the good stuff, but noone ever congratulates you for getting over a rejection or having to chase up people for the opportunities that you want. I wish people gave me credit for that instead of my work that has been published.