By Kimberly
Jayne
"All
other holidays are in a more or less degree connected with conflicts and
battles of man's prowess over man, of strife and discord for greed and power,
of glories achieved by one nation over another. Labor Day... is devoted to no
man, living or dead, to no sect, race, or nation."
~
Samuel Gompers
Founder
of the American Federation of Labor
Happy Labor Day! It's
not just for traditional American workers — those 8-to-5'ers who bring home a
regular paycheck and enjoy the benefits of paid vacations, sick days, and
coworker relationships. It's for everyone who works hard at their craft too,
alone in their struggle, like writers.
I always wonder if the broadest section
of society that does not write books understands the labor that goes into it.
Countless people remark, when they learn I'm a writer, that they could or want
to write a book too. Or they offer me a great idea for a book, which is not
such a good idea because it's something that doesn't fit me; it fits them.
The truth is most people will never write
a book. I think on some level, they must have an inkling of the time, energy,
persistence, dedication, and honed talent it takes to finish a project of that
size and scope. And for most writers, the ROI for our hard work is abysmal. It truly is a labor of love.
I think we all have a book within
us — certainly, we all have stories within us. But it's those who do the work, who
push beyond the self-doubt, who churn out the paragraphs and pages and plots
that make magical worlds come to life inside the reader, who can be most proud
of their achievements.
This holiday weekend alone, I've written about 2,500 words, which is hard to accomplish during the regular work week where I am a writer and editor for a trade publication and where I enjoy all the perks of more "traditional" workers.
So to all you writers out there who toil in the spare
hours of your day, the weekend warriors who fast-write while they have free
time away from the J.O.B., those who overcome the obstacles and blast through
the blocks, and those midnight-oil-burners who punch those keys long after everyone else is asleep, I celebrate you! I hope you're celebrating your successes on this Labor Day too.
________________
Kimberly Jayne writes in multiple genres including humor, romantic comedy, suspense, erotica, and dark fantasy. Her latest foray into a dark fantasy released in episodes is as much an adventure as the writing itself. You can check her out on Amazon. Find out more about her at ReadKimberly.
Books by Kimberly Jayne:
Books by Kimberly Jayne:
Watch for Episode 4, coming soon!
