Chasing a dream or nurturing an obsession?

[Wheeloffortune21]

So I'm selling up and I've been looking at rental prices in my area and they are painful! I'm actually thinking of going off on a bit of an adventure instead for a while. Thought I might try and get some sun for a start!

I've started writing a book, which is something I've always wanted to do but usually I have no staying power. Ideas a plenty but...oh look, a butterfly! This book however is actually loosely based on the life of a certain famous person and - I'm toying with the idea of moving to his birth town for a few months.

I just looked at the rent price there and it's actually not that much more than here and I thought being in his home town would help inspire and focus me. He might even be around the place from time to time.

However I recognise that in fulfilling this dream, I may end up walking a thin line with obsession. I can tell myself my obsession is the book all I like but when you are writing about a person, theres always potential for lines to blur. Though, tbf, the nature of the book will also touch on fan obsession.

So, I could forget it. Take that summer holiday.. Heck, maybe even stretch it into a until-next-summer holiday. Or...I could do something mad. But if that something mad finally gets me to get the bloody book written that I've wanted to write for years then...I'm toying with the idea...

So - I'm not being unfair (chase the dream)
Or - I am being unfair (leave it, find a beach instead)

Are you relying on writing the book so it makes money? Because (and I mean this as gently as possible) you have more chance of meeting this person and doing the tango in wellies down Rhyl sea front. Trust me, I've been writing for years and am really good at it.

If this is just a fun diversion and you can afford to waste a years money and end up with no book then sure. But please don't kiss yourself into thinking that a book would be written. It takes HUGE discipline to write, edit, rewrite and then sell a book to a publisher.

I agree with devonian. If you can do this as a project for its own sake, and it doesn't matter whether it succeeds in material terms, then yes, do it. Don't be tormented by something you wish you did. Set realistic boundaries in terms of time and money and stick to those boundaries. Annie Lamott's book Bird by Bird is very good on why you should write for the sake of writing itself.

If you're chasing a certain pay-off (eg. writing a bestseller), then I think you need to heed devonian's wise words. You wouldn't give up financial stability on the off-chance you might win the lottery.

My feeling is that I would probably just write it to have. To feel like I'd actually finally completed one. Probably self publish it and print like 5 copies haha. I think for me it's more just about knowing I can complete one that I'm happy with. Then maybe I'll have the staying power to write more somewhere down the line and might be able to make something of them many years from now.

Realistically I probably just want to back up the idea of myself as being a creative sort haha.
Hoping I could have it done in 6 months. Suppose there's nothing to stop me working at the same time too tbf so I wouldn't Los out financially as much as I would off gallivanting the world.

Then give yourself the 6 months and go for it - no point spending a lifetime yearning.

I should also say that he makes public appearances for various things a fair bit. Though it's a big place so I'm highly unlikely to bump into him on a trip to tescos haha.

Don't actually stalk this person though.

Haha let's hope it doesn't go that dark xD