Dear World

Please Kill Me,

Greetings my ill-mannered literature snobs. So, it’s Hump Day (whatever the hell that means. Wednesday I guess.) How’s your week treating you? Let me guess “I can’t wait til Friday!” *sniffs unknown substance*. Well, here’s my answer. WAIT!!!!! * single tear drops*.

I don’t know why there was a tear drop (shhh, don’t ask questions). Anyway, for those of you too good to read the title, I would like to discuss –Patience (known in some circles as – eternities middle finger).

I’ll say this once – (probably a few more times before the days over) EVERYTHING WORTH HAVING, TAKES TIME.

Here, I’ll frame it for you. You’ve been writing for a while, (though let’s be honest, you’ve only been taking it seriously for about a quarter of that time). You’ve had dreams of grandeur and you curse the world every few days, (or every hour or so, depending on your level of frustration.) because things aren’t moving quickly enough for your liking.

Let’s pause here. I’ll extend an olive branch for those in denial – I get it. Times are tough, you hate your job, your bank account balance is filled with money- that’s gone before you can hold it, and you’re not getting the recognition you feel you deserve.

Boo freaking Hoo *plays world’s smallest violin…* you know what? No! No music for you. Pick yourself out of that grand canyon you’re rolling around in, and get back to that keyboard.

Look, I don’t intend to be mean (I will anyway), but you’ve gotta pull yourself together, snap out of it, third insult/inspiration.

Nothing worth having comes easily. Anyone who’s made it to something from nothing will tell you – they’ve spent years in the verbal trenches- trying to make it happen.

Those years are a necessity. They help build you into the writer that you must be – to be worth something. Earn it! Your readers deserve an author who’s bruised up and dead inside, (that’s where all GREAT artists come from). You can’t just pick up a bat and hope to hit a home run (and even if you do, without the skill and experience -you’ll likely never hit one again). #metaphors.

Even if you’re talented from the start, your talent will fail you if you lack the proper experience.

So, it’s been a struggle for the past few years -Fuck it. This is the life you’ve chosen. You knew the cost of it (and if you didn’t – then you didn’t do your homework and have failed right out of the gate).

Unless you’re a prodigy (you’re reading this, so by default – you’re not), you need time to master your craft -and in that time, you will acquire the skills you need to be worthy of greatness (if you’re doing it right, time won’t even be a thought).

So whether it’s 5,10,15, or  even 20 years -the fact of the matter is- that if you haven’t made it; you’re simply not ready.

Now, keep in mind that this is not a deterrent (at worst it’s a cynical reminder to keep improving every day).

So check your expectation at the door (your gonna be here for a while).

Class (begrudgingly) dismissed,

-Antwan Crump.