I recently shared some thoughts about why being a writer is hard. Well, today I’m upping the ante and screaming that being a female writer is not only hard, at times it’s damn near impossible.
Now I’m no feminist and this is not a glass ceiling rant. I don’t know the figures about who sells more books (M Vs F). I have no idea whether King gets paid more than Rowland. I’m not sure whether the predominance of NY Times bestsellers are males or females. And TBH I don’t care. Writing speaks for itself IMHO. I don’t care if the author is Wilbur or Wilma Smith, as long as it’s an entertaining read.
So why do I say being a female writer is impossible? Because Hormones.
*Every lady everywhere sighs and says hell yes*
I have rearranged my entire life to get more time to write for myself. My novel. Guns of Perdition. Something I get little time to do because of my day job in community health services and my other day job freelance writing. So, I’ve had a plan in place for the past six weeks to cut back on both in order to get quality ME writing time… and today was the day. Day One of the fruits of those labours. My first day of writing for ME.
Except it didn’t turn out that way.
What actually eventuated was this;
- Woke up with nauseating headache and disgusting feeling that can only mean one thing… ‘bad hormone day’~
- Moped around.
- Coffee.
- More coffee.
- Facebook, YouTube and emails
- More coffee.
- Actually started bashing some stuff out on the keyboard.
- Got distracted by sad YouTube video.
- Ugly cried.
- Back to writing.
- Writer’s block.
- Cheesels.
- Back to writing.
- Review writing.
- More ugly crying.
- Delete, delete, delete.
- Gave up.
- Hot shower.
- More ugly crying.
My first entire whole uninterrupted day of writing was ruined by out of control hormones. As if writing isn’t hard enough but to have to do it with a churning soup of eostrogen bubbling away in the background is just cruel.
And this is why being a writer is hard… but being a female writer is a torture that should be withheld for murderers, cattle rustlers and people who don’t use indicators when turning.
~Read ‘bad hormone day’ as code for the 28 day cycle of horror that comprises the female reproductive system.
We just have to make the most of that day when the hormones are on our side. I’m still waiting for that day.
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Hahaha! Oh don’t say that! I was hoping it might be tomorrow for me!
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Off the point I know but couldn’t let “I’m no feminist” pass. Everyone should be a feminist imo, and a more feminist society would entail men trying to understand “bad hormone days” and being more sympathetic/supportive etc. Not sure if it’ll help with the writing on those days though…
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Hehe, no I don’t think it would help with the writing. I’m lucky enough to have the men in my life understand bad hormone days (and the subsequent moodiness that goes with them).
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Sounds like a rough day – nothing worse than planning a focused day to do something and have it go awry. I can also relate to the last sentence, “people who don’t use indicators when turning” deserve a special place in hell.
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Say it to my face! 🙂
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Oh you do so use indicators. It’s the tailgating I can’t abide…
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I use them occasionally, when the mood strikes. As for tailgating, I have an ex-boyfriend to thank for pounding it out of me. He’d never stop pointing it out wen we drove together. I’m in recovery really. I still get the itch.
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Thanks hon. Yeah, it was pretty crap. The worst thing is, I don’t know if my writing did stink or if I just thought so because, well, hormones!
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Reblogged this on When Angels Fly.
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Thanks!
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Welcome!
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I love this. Writing takes so much discipline, mental concentration, no distraction, and minimal hormones ha ha. I understand! I’m glad you adjusted your life to find more time to write.
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Thank you! Ugh yes, hormones, the bane of my brain. PS: I love your name, so Harry Potter!
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Ha ha. Thank you.
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My first name means “beautiful” in Korean.
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Nice!
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To be honest I can’t relate to this one cause I am a boy but all I can say is good luck for your book I be waiting for it.
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Aw thanks!! 😊
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