Is writing success more likely to flourish in a relationship with another creative writer?
Whether my choice of partner for love, friendship, marriage or romance effects my ability to be a successful writer is a question about which I have often puzzled as I’ve struggled with my writing career.
It is seductive in the extreme to imagine somebody with whom to share my innermost dreams, writing ideas and writing fantasies. As a writer, my thoughts are often sensual and sensitive. How wonderful to share my time, yearnings, soul and entire being with another who is equally so.
On the other hand, writers and creative people are frequently, some may say notoriously, unable to earn a living and my income has certainly been a roller coaster ride over the years. How useful it must be to have a husband, wife, partner or a significant other who is rather more reliable in paying the bills.
Yet I know at least one person who is a talented musician but is married to somebody who thinks he is wasting his time unless he is mending a fuse, decorating a wall or cleaning out a cupboard. His wife would equally have the same opinion if he was to try to set pen to paper and write a story or a poem.
“Surely you’re not wasting your time on that flute again,” is a constant complaint when he tries to practice his musical instrument.
Additionally, how important is it to be able to engage in a constructive dialogue with somebody who also has creative ideas. Can two people achieve more creative thinking than one? Do think-tanks actually achieve more than one person sitting quietly in deep contemplation?
As I travel around the English West Country through Devon, Cornwall, Dorset and Somerset writing, I often wonder how many other writers there are out there in long-term relationships and asking the same questions.
Without doubt, the thought of being in a close relationship with another as creative as I is seductive in the extreme but could rocking the boat lead to unhappiness, divorce and an end to my long days spent creatively writing anything I like whilst knowing the bills will get paid?
Or could it be that, with a bit of close collaboration, my online writing success would , at long last, realize all my ambitions?
So many questions. So many uncertainties.
What do you think? Your comments are very welcome below.
Bye for now
Rob
