Why do I bother?

There are days when I wonder why I bother spending my time plugging away writing books that nobody wants to buy. Then I remind myself that virtually every bestelling author had this dispiriting part of their writing career too. 

My period of having my work totally ignored stretches over fifteen years now, and until I started researching rejections I thought this was unduly long.  Was I wrong!  Agatha Christie took fifteen years to land her first publishing deal, M.A.S.H. had twenty one rejections.  Stephen King's Carrie had 30 rejections.  

And I realise that, whilst I've clocked up a large number of rejections, they've been for a large body of work.  I've tried selling over 100 stories, and twelve different novels.  My thinking was that if they didn't like that one, I'd try them with something else.

That strategy didn't work, and left me wondering why I bother.  The answer to that question is complex.  Reason number one is because that's what I am, a full-time, professional writer.  This is how I choose to spend my days.

Reason number two is because I feel I have something important to say.  There's a place in the world for my passion for the natural world, and for my desire to see women treated equally.  I write because what I say matters to me, it gives me a voice.

I could no more give up writing than breathing. It is what I am, what I do, my essential identity.  So even thought there are many days where I wonder why I bother, I do.  I keep on keeping on.