writing is kool

[veronica_rich]

Friends and I watched "Becoming Jane" this weekend (partly because, James McAvoy, how blue your eyes, how noble your perhaps-possibly-once-broken nose?). Part of the plot point was Jane struggling to figure out if/how she could earn money from being able to write, being a woman in her particular time period.

I've been writing for so long that I've come to regard it as work, which it is. But in latter years that's pretty close to how I exclusively see it. That didn't used to be the case, and possibly became that way since I have to write a lot of factual detailed stuff that you'll get yelled at if you don't get right (or sometimes, if you do). There's limited room for creativity. Nonetheless, being in a position where I have earned much of my lifetime's paychecks - so far - from writing or something connected to it, is far preferable to the "will I or won't I, for my gender?" depicted in the movie.

tl;dr - Austen was a writer who had to worry if she'd be paid or accepted for doing it; I'm a writer who takes for granted that I AM. Both of us are women. Times have improved.

Comments

[pir8fancier.livejournal.com]

There was a history of women getting paid for their writing. Most of those gothic novels of the late 18th and early 19th century were written by women. Although it was her brother who approached a publisher on her behalf, as I imagine was appropriate.

[veronica-rich.livejournal.com]

Oh, women have always found a way to break into men's jobs. It's just that either there weren't many or they didn't get as much notice or accolades, or they had to disguise themselves as men to do it (i.e., George Eliot). I like the fact it's a lot more commonplace now and not at all weird, but more, I feel like I take it for granted that I can do it. It makes me feel like a bad person and a bad feminist (not to mention a bad writer) some days.

[restrainedchaos.livejournal.com]

I was going to PM you, but I'm throwing this on here because you mentioned Mr. McAvoy - I saw you on the carpebrewski comm. Isn't it RIDICULOUS? I'm just lurking right now, but I might join in the madness proper. Another series I'm reading is the Daycare 'Verse by pocky_slash. It shows up in the couple of Erik/Charles communities you told me about; I don't know if you've seen them. (I'm so glad someone from another fandom is in this one because I felt so silly at first!!)

Back to the thing you ACTUALLY talked about - I kinda feel like I'm not doing myself justice because I COULD write and I don't due to fear of rejection and blah blah blah. I feel a bit like I should be doing it because I CAN and so many people throughout the ages couldn't - like I'm taking it for granted. /random thoughtfulness.

[veronica-rich.livejournal.com]

If you're on AIM, you should pop by the Brewski chatroom some night - it's called, predictably enough, carpebrewski (with the AIM buddy window, call up the window by Alt+C, put your username in the top field, and the chatroom name in the bottom field). I'm in there right now.

It's a fun community. Sure, everybody is like 20 years younger than me, but I'm recapturing my youth. It's what midlife crisis is about, LOL.

I AM reading the daycare-verse, I'm sort of abashed to say. Aren't we too old for this? ROFL. At this point in my fandom life I want fun and interesting, and so far erik/charles is catering to that. (I don't read some of the more angsty ones much because the style doesn't necessarily appeal so much anymore, but once in a while I do.)

I feel the same on the writing; it's really bad when you've been doing it for a living and start taking it for granted and treat it like a factory job or something. Because my dad HAD a factory job and he fucking hated it and warned me off of it (plus I've worked my share of fast food and similar jobs), so I feel like I ought to be grateful every day I don't have to earn money that way. I'm a bad feminist ...

[restrainedchaos.livejournal.com]

Hm, I'm not on AIM, but I might need to be... ;)

I really really like the Daycare stories. They are cute and not-angsty and like in Carpe Brewski, I appreciate the re-purposing of characters. Tony Stark is fantastic in both (I also just love Tony Stark. He's Bruce Wayne, but a bit happier).

I think I miiiiiiiight start putting up the silly short stories that I've been writing recently and see if I like them. Just to get something out there.