Pitfalls of success.
Sad but true: There are some people in your life who will hate you when you are successful.
It doesn’t really matter what you’re successful AT, (though in my case, recently, it has been my contract with Wendy and interest from Tor) some people are just going to resent you.
Sometimes they’ll be strangers, in my case its most often family, but somehow I think its worst when it’s friends. Particularly if they’re friends you’ve known for a long time-or a friend who was devoted and caring when you were recovering from a break up/having a limb amputated/suffering third degree burns to most of your body.
For this reason I don’t tell people about my writing progress unless they ask. I’d even LIE to certain extended family members, because they’d probably make sure my life wasn’t worth living if they knew.
Tonight, however, it was a friend who I have known for six years. Someone who knows me well and knows what writing means to me. I expected spectacular enthusiasm. I was met with what I would best describe as ‘hostile apathy’.
It’s disappointing, but I’m probably more angry than sad.
Make a note, ya’ll: Success sometimes means loosing friends. Even the close ones you thought you could depend on.
For those of you who think its harsh to boot a friend because they aren’t happy for you, consider this: How healthy is a friendship you have to be (or pretend to be) unhappy to maintain?