www.inkthinkerblog.com — Following is the third and final part of my interview with writer Devon Ellington. Be sure to read Part 1 — The Basics and Part 2 — Balancing Act.
You’re an extremely prolific and widely published writer, but like all of us, you didn’t start out that way. What were some of your early projects and assignments, and how did you build your business to the level that it is now?
My first published piece was when I was eight years old, in a school magazine. In college, I fell away from writing, because, in film school, I was repeatedly told, “So-and-so is the Creative One; you’re the Practical One” because I was good at organizing productions and making them happen. Like an idiot, I bought into it (even though my favorite writing teacher told me otherwise). So I plunged into technical aspects of theatre and film and only kept a journal and wrote the occasional short story.
Then, actress friends of mine complained that there weren’t any good monologues for women out there. So I started writing monologues for them to use in auditions. And every time they used one of my monologues, they got the part.
Monologues blossomed in to plays, and I started writing plays. The plays were produced and I got to go exciting places like London, Edinburgh, and Australia. I started writing short stories again, took a few writing classes, and wrote what became the serial Tapestry.
Also, on a dare, I started writing erotic fiction, and that got published – and paid. And I started writing for calendars and almanacs.
Basically, I write about what interests me, and I keep searching the job boards for gigs I think are interesting and to which I’m suited. I’m not going to be any good writing for real estate developers – I disagree with the business morals nine times out of ten and my experience with them is that the majority of them are scumbags. So I’m not going to pitch to that niche. I’ll approach small museums or individual artists that need bios or websites or a hospice center or something. My business is on the way, but nowhere near where I want it to be. I won’t go after a big money gig if I think the company’s scum. And that cuts into my profit. It’s a trade-off I’m willing to make at this point.
I need to move into writing full time and give up the tech work. I love live theatre, and I enjoy being on set, but the hours are brutal, and I feel like I’m expanding too much energy on other people’s projects instead of my own.
It’s too much like having a Volkswagen strapped to each foot, going down the highway, and they decide to take different exits. I’m at a point in my life where I need to make a choice, and my choice is writing. I’m in the second year of what was envisioned as a three year transition into only writing. Because of the eight months spent fighting sleazy developers, I’m a bit behind, but I think I’ve made some good progress.
What advice do you have for others balancing multiple projects and demands?
Prioritize.
You have to ask yourself “How badly do I want this?”
If you want to be a professional writer, you must restructure your life so the writing comes first. That means retraining your family and giving up the mistaken idea that if you don’t cater to their every whim they’ll suffer or won’t need you any more.
It means cutting people out of your life who don’t support your work or who actively try to sabotage you. Even if they’re related to you. Sometimes, it will mean leaving a relationship. Sometimes it means re-negotiating the relationship.
There’s nothing wrong with writing in your “spare time,” but it’s going to mean an entirely different definition of success and a different route to get there. There’s nothing wrong with making that choice. It’s perfectly valid. It’s yours. But there will be a difference in your structure. If you want to write full time, your life choices have to support that. And something has to go.
Also, don’t use your family as an excuse not to write when they actually are being supportive. I know several people who like the idea of writing, but don’t actually have the guts to jump in. Their families are actually behind them and would love to see them succeed but these writers themselves make excuses not to write and then blame their families.
Be honest with yourself and those around you about where the writing falls in to your life. Even making writing a priority does not give you license to behave badly to those around you. There’s a difference between being assertive and drawing boundaries and outright selfishness.
You need to be self-protective without being selfish.
And then, you have to finish what you start. The more unfinished projects you have, the more your creative energy is drained. If something is truly completely in the wrong direction, consciously end it. File it as “retired.” Don’t just let it hang around waiting to be finished “someday.” I have far too many half-finished projects right now, and that’s one of my goals – to sort them out and complete them, even if they never go farther, so they stop draining.
Decide what kind of career is important to you and what your personal definition of “success” is. And then be willing to put in the work to attain it.
Writing is fun, but it also requires work. It is a delicate balance and often a struggle between art and craft. It’s not like sorting laundry – you need large stretches of uninterrupted time. You can only “steal” time within the day for so long before it starts to backfire. So you have to set up your life to give you stretches of that time.
And that means other things have to go.
When I lived in Manhattan and was full time in theatre and only occasionally writing, I went out five nights a week. I went to film premieres, opening nights, award shows, clubs, cabarets, parties, gala openings – you name it, I did it. I’m glad I did, because I don’t feel like I missed anything and took full advantage of living in Manhattan. Now, I’m moving farther and farther from the city, and more and more into a quieter lifestyle. I’m more particular about going out, and I don’t allow myself to be roped into obligatory outings rather than things I want to do. I’d rather be writing.
Am I sorry sometimes to turn down a hot celebrity invitation? Ego-wise, yes. But it’s more important to protect the work at this point in my life.
And, remember, you need to have a life in order to write about life. So running around doing everything possible in my early years helped make me a better writer. But now, I’m willing to give up a portion of the socializing in order to benefit the work.
In spite of the fact that I am ferociously protective of my personal life and rarely discuss it, I do have one. And I nurture it. It became a fulfilling personal life only after I excommunicated those who tried to sabotage me. It’s not full of “yes men,” but I do surround myself with people who believe in me and want what’s best for me – not their idea of what’s good for me – but support my inner knowledge.
What advice do you have for others who want to diversify?
Write what interests you, not what you think will sell. I’m sorry, but I have zero respect for someone who says, “I never pick up a pen for less than $500.” First of all, I think it’s utter bullshit. And, even if it’s true, in rare cases, I think that person misses so many exciting opportu
nities.
You need to balance the business sense with the creative sense. No matter how good you are technically, if you’re not interested in your topic, your results won’t be as good as they will be if you find something interesting within it.
A living wage and passion for your writing are not mutually exclusive. The jealous will try to make you believe it. They’re full of shit.
Carve your own path.
Anything else you’d like to add?
A few things newbies need to know:
Publication is earned. Professional writers, for the most part, are extremely generous with time and resources. But newbies need to do their own research and be willing to put in the work. I’ve quit several forums lately because I’m sick of unpublished writers expecting to be walked in to major publications, or established writers to turn over their contact lists, agents, editors, etc. to someone whose work has never been seen by any of us, simply because they posted the request.
Also, if you have no credits, you’re not going to sell a novel on the first three chapters. Finish it, polish it, do your outline, synopsis, etc., and then start querying. Remember that if you only have three chapters and an agent/editor asks for the full manuscript, you need to send it within 48 hours. Even waiting a week hurts your chances. And, if you write back and say, “I haven’t finished it, I need three months”, you’ve blown that contact. There are several thousand other writers just as good as you are and much more professional whose work is ready to send.
Many thanks to Devon for taking so much time out of her schedule. I hope you’ve enjoyed learning from this talented woman as much as I have! Be sure to head over to Ink in My Coffee for some more great information!
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