Making a big decision here.

Do it. Better to try and fail than to have regrets later.

I dunno, man. I only do my best work when I'm supposed to be doing something else, so I'm no help.

But you're too bloody good a writer not to write.

Big question: Whatchagonnawrite? That's my bete noire. Words, but no direction. So I write a bunch of half-assed stuff - a plain littered with small piles that I can't shift into a single mountain. That's actually my life, pretty much.

Stuff it. You're young and handsome; the world's your slimy shellfish-thing. And you can save again. Do it now. Gather ye rosebuds, and dare to eat a peach, I say.*

Report back every week with what you've written, so we can give you some motherguilt and check your eyes for bloodshots.

*: But maybe take an accounting course, just to be safe.

These are q's you might ask yourself:
Why does this need to be a BIG decision?
Given your own arguments, could you be
trying to trap yourself?
If you're working three jobs, why not quit just one or two, instead of all of them? - you'll have time to write, and keep some income for other cool things you could do while you're not working.
DO you have a story you are ready to write?
You strike me as someone who doesn't let obstacles get in your way, really now...when you're ready to write, you'll write. And if you don't have a story, how much of the summer will be spent dancing with an idea, only to run out of money and then not finish anyway?

OK, enough Devil's advocate .
But seriously, you moved far away to another country- you can make big decisions.
I think you need an ego feed (in a good way)
We want you to write. We miss your work. Please, oh please, pleasepleaseplease, find a way to write something!!!
(but why add the pressure of a diminishing bank account in a foreign land????)

I don't know you well enough to say one way or the other, but it sounds like, for you, it could easily turn into a wasted three months.

You might think of using your creativity to come up with another option, or at least to insure that you use the time to accomplish something. Saying, "I'm going to take time off and write" can easily turn into "I'll get started . . . tomorrow."

Making a big decision here.

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Stick with boxers. Your boys will be happier.

Just do it, Zach.

I've always tried to write in avoidance of having to lie on my death bed some day, thinking, "I could've been great... if only I'd given it a decent shot..."

You know very well what I think of your writing, and I'd very much like to see a big, fat chunk of words under your byline, but I'm thinking splitting the baby on this one might be the way to go.

Knowing that you're not entirely reliable to use this time to write is the key. I have the same issues (the last three chapters of my novel have been sitting open for three days, because as soon as I'm done with _____, I'm gonna get cracking.) I'd spend all the money and maybe have a high wordcount to show for it, or maybe I'd just have a rash, a hangover and five pounds to lose.

Scale back and find time to enjoy yourself and write. You, my love, can do it all.

I need a bit of a push

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If you don't do it, I will personally fly to China to kick your ass for not letting me live vicariously through you while you do PRECISELY what I would give my right arm to do.

Since you asked:

MHO - don't do it. keep working and saving your money. wait til you have a Gnormous amount of cash and go somewhere really cool to write - like Tahiti or some place - YOWZA -


eom

Will you have a job to go back to in the fall? If yes, then imo you should do this because while you may be broke of the end of the summer, you will not have the stress of thinking about having to look for a job sitting at the back of your mind. Just treat writing like a job and put in x number of hours a day dedicated to nothing but your work, and perhaps check it off on the calendar to give you some visual incentive.

You can do this, so give it a go.

dpaterso said:

If you have to stop and ask, if your writing isn't calling to you in the dead of the night like a nymphomaniac lover, demanding you take time off and hit that keyboard until it comes apart under physical stress, then maybe "you aren't" applies.

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What a load of bullshit! It was funny though.

Zach, you're what, 23 years old? Live! Travel. Do something for fun for the summer. There'll always be work when Fall comes. And so what if you are using "writing" as an excuse to waste away your summer and money? You're not 45 years old with a bunch of kids to feed -- it's okay to be a bit irresponsible. But you won't know until you do it. You may even write something, start on a novel, write about your experiences in China (and I sure will be the first to want to read that), etc. etc.

One suggestion - if you really don't want all your money to be gone, stash half of that away into a savings account that you will NOT touch no matter what. That way, you set yourself free to do whatever with the other half -- maybe that will alleviate some of your guilt if you do spend it all.

But seriously, man, you're in China, one of the most beautiful and fascinating countries in the world, plus there are nearby countries like Japan or Vietnam or Thailand where you can visit. Go. And write something while you're on your way. Have fun, and live life to the fullest.

When I was 23, I had only $2000 in my name. I worked full-time but I did take long summers off to travel, etc. I went everywhere, staying at youth hostels, taking buses, etc. No, I wasn't a writer then so I didn't have that kind of ambition. But the truth is that I was very happy doing what I liked. And that's the key. Doing what you "LIKE." There's so much to experience and learn and see.

I see the dilemma of saving money -- on one hand, we need money. We need to be "responsible" and think about the future, etc. On the other hand, it can be a trap. When I was 23 and had only $2000 in the bank and made $30,000 a year, I was still happy. I lived on almost nothing, and I didn't need much. I got to travel and have fun and had lots of friends. Now fast forward a few years later when I started to save -- I had more money saved, made twice as much, but had less time and fewer friends, and traveled only for work. I got a 3-week vacation every year; that's all. I know it was about growing up, and it was time for me to grow up.

But you're 23. No big hurry to grow up yet.

Couldn't you just pare the three jobs down to one more manageable job and find more time in your life to write?

I'm thinking there is a happy medium between work all the time and write all the time.