The Writer’s Dream

America is the land of infinite opportunities. We can all be whatever we want to be, shape our own identity, pursue any career path, even create our own gods. Certainly there is a great deal of opportunity and possibility in America, but as a recent Chicago Tribune article suggests, it is not infinite. There can come a time when we need to give up on a dream–if only, in true American style, to pursue a different dream.

Emilie Le Beau gathered various experts to help answer questions such as:

*How long should you pursue a major in college if you consistently get C’s? (Answer: three semesters.)
*How long should you pursue a romantic interest if the other party has given you a clear no? (Answer: ninety seconds.)
*If a new job isn’t working out, how long should you stay before leaving? (Answer: one year.)
*How long should you pursue an acting career? (Answer: ten years.)

She also asks, How long should you try to get your novel published? To answer this she employs the services of literary agent Michael Larsen in San Francisco. His answers match what those in the industry already are aware of: “The reality is, agents and editors reject close to 100 percent of what they see. . . . Relatively few writers write full time.”

If, however, you have the internal fortitude to take an unending string of rejection slips, he (in true American style) goes on to say that he sees no problem with never giving up. Ah, the American spirit lives on!