Watched "The Last Minute" today, a film by the director of "Blade" and "League of Extraordinary Gentlemen". This was an entirely different type of film, exploring the perils of those who chase fame. For the most part it was fairly pretentious twaddle, but it was stylishly directed, and had some curiously interesting and affecting moments. It's overall message - "Don't waste time or time will waste you" - is, of course, perfectly true, but was put across rather bluntly and unimaginatively. But a far more interesting line for me was near the end, when the main character was wondering what makes a work of art (any work of art -- book, song, film, etc) GOOD and WORTHWHILE. He thought it was public acceptance, but another character said, "No -- the public just give you a career."

And it's true!! One of the points I always try to stress, when talking with wannabe writers, is that you have to do it for yourself. You should write because you enjoy it, and judge your work by how happy YOU are with it. Sure, it's great if you can sell something that you like, and even better if you can make lots of money out of it, but the most important thing is that YOU like it. You have to be your own judge. Immediate, widespread acceptance doesn't mean you've written a good book -- just as rejection, disinterest or poor sales doesn't mean you've written a stinker. The public can be fickle. Sometimes they get it right -- sometimes they don't.

Pursue your dreams. Be true to yourself. Write (sing, paint, etc.) from the heart. Don't sell out.

Those ways happiness lies.