What makes a writer happy?
Is it getting that next big idea? Finishing a manuscript? Holding a newly printed copy of his or her first book? Hosting a signing event? Seeing their story turned into a movie?
All of these things produce some degree of happiness – or at least I assume they do, seeing as The Pride of Central is nowhere near the movie stage. However, I do not think any of them are the thing that generates the most joy for me.
Before I continue, I want to call attention to the title of this entry. This is about “a” writer's greatest joy, not every writer's greatest joy. C.S. Lewis wrote about “A Grief Observed” looking back on his own mourning when his wife passed. It has been pointed out that he was only writing about his grief, not everyone’s grief.
Here, I'm writing about my favorite source of happiness connected to The Pride of Central. Not all authors will agree with me. A five-star review on Amazon or an event where I sell 15 copies of my book do give me a spark, but that is the not the best part of this experience.
The greatest joy has come from meeting my readers face-to-face.
Sometimes those readers are people I have known for years. We went to school together, worked together, or lived in the same neighborhood. When they stop by an event to pick up my book, we get to catch up on what has been going on in both of our lives and the lives of our families.
Sometimes those readers are people who knew my name from my sports journalism. These conversations are less likely to be about our family lives, but I have still been able to talk with them about the local or national sports scene.
Sometimes those readers are complete strangers, who are buying my book because they saw that an author was coming to a local coffee shop. These conversations might, on the surface, seem to be potentially awkward. But the truth is, they can go in many directions and can lead to unexpected connections.
Later on, in some cases, I see these readers again when they have finished The Pride of Central. Finding out what each one took out of my story, how they interpreted the symbolism, or how they felt about the ultimate fate of the Central team has been a joy in itself.
That's because this stage of writing is personal. It is actually about two people, a writer and a reader, connecting and sharing what the story means to them.
It is true that the stages of writing, editing, publishing and promoting are necessary to reach this level, but none of these acts are inherently personal. As a result, I do not derive the joy from them that I do from having my next-door neighbor talk to me, letting me know how much her boyfriend enjoys my book.
Those moments give me my greatest joy.
Next week: I'm even different from myself