Of the Unappreciated Writer
So summer vacation is finally here, and I am able to enjoy a couple of months of rest and sponging off of taxpayers, if you believe the anti-teacher rhetoric that is being bandied about these days. People wonder, "Hey Ray, why would you, a Famous Hollywood Actor, decide to also be a high school English teacher?" To questions like these, I typically respond, "Hi! Want some cocaine?"
I'm kidding, of course. I learned long ago to never share cocaine with anyone who makes less money than I do. (Add that to your list of Ray's Rules.) To be honest, I became a Famous Hollywood Actor to support my teaching career, a la Tony Danza.
But I digress, and I am sad to see that Pesci hasn't been picking up the slack while I've been finishing up my school year. Should I be surprised? Probably not. But here we are in the great divide. The HBO series has ended (Meh) and we have just under three weeks until ADWD supposedly appears on shelves. The kind folks at my local library have promised to hold a copy for me.
And in this downtime, I've been thinking a lot about the people out there who agree with my/our stance on George's work ethic, attitudes, and productivity. And I don't mean you five Loyal Readers who actually pay attention to my ramblings, nor do I mean the more handsome and more regularly participatory people over at our favorite messageboard, Is Winter Coming. (Hi Slynt! How's the family? Want some cocaine?)
No, I'm thinking about Neil Gaiman's "GRRM is not your bitch" comment, and other writers. Because here's my point (yes, I finally got here!): I have a strong suspicion that there are many more people--particularly writers--who agree with us regarding GRRM. Because the way I look at it, I get pissed off when other teachers in my building are lazy and inefficient. Lawyers I know hate lawyers who are lazy and inefficient. Office workers hate other office workers who are lazy and inefficient. Police officers, firefighters, nurses...from what I can tell, everyone out there who puts forth a strong and consistent effort at their job gets pissed off by others who don't. Not only do they make their jobs harder, but they also give a bad name to the profession.
So logically, doesn't it stand to reason that writers get pissed off at other writers who are lazy and inefficient?
And what's more, wouldn't they be more pissed off at writers who are lazy and inefficient and make bucketloads of money?
There are a lot of writers out there. We know this. And a lot of them work very, very hard, and get paid well. And many more of them work very, very hard and don't get paid well. And there are even more who work very, very hard at writing and don't get paid for it, period.
So considering all of these people, I have a strong suspicion that many of them, although they might not be willing or able to state it publicly, secretly appreciate what we are doing, because it pisses them off when other writers get massive payouts for very little work. Sure, maybe you're not working together, like some of those other jobs, but I think the point still stands.
William Shakespeare: Working his ass off since 1592.
Mind you, I'm not saying George has never worked hard--in fact, during the 1990's, it seems like he was cranking away at ASOIAF with the drive and focus of a Japanese auto worker in a 1980's comedy starring Michael Keaton--but considering what we've seen in the last decade or so, I would think a few writers out there might be less of the "Good for him!" attitude and more of the "Lucky SOB" attitude.
Or maybe not. Maybe the goal of most writers is to crank it out until you get to GRRM's position, where you have to work less and the money rolls in regardless. That would make me sad, even though it would definitely put a new kink in the "Writing is art, and we don't question artists" argument that people like Gaiman like to put out there. I'm not sure. But thinking this way definitely inspires me to keep going. For if I can't be the voice of the unappreciated, overworked writer, then who will?