My guidance counselor told me I wasn't going to be successful as a writer. But, what does she mean by "successful"? Most likely she means the money aspect of it which isn't really my top priority. Sure, getting paid for my writing would be awesome, but it isn't the reason why I write. My definition of success is doing something I'm passionate about and to be able to enjoy work instead of dreading it. Getting my words out there into the world to share with others is what I aim for. To have them get attached to characters I create or stay up all night because they won't be able to put my work down is a possibility that makes me happy whenever I think about it. If I'm able to accomplish all that, then I would say that I'm successful. I know the amazing feeling I get when I get sucked into a book that consumes my entire day. That's the kind of experience I want to create for someone else. I'm not looking to get famous or rich.
Of course I had to choose something else I wanted to do with my life because if I didn't then she'd go on to tell me that I'll never make it in the world. She told a kid that he's stupid and will never make it into a good college so I could only imagine what she'd tell me if I refused to give up my top career choice. Luckily I also enjoy teaching. So currently my goal is to major in Elementary Education and maybe minor in Creative Writing. I understand that it's good to have a degree so I can get a teaching job while working towards my writing goals, but it's just that fact that she told me I'd never be successful at doing something I love that really got on my nerves.
