Happiness is a matter of temperament rather than circumstance, and I have always considered myself fortunate in having escaped the tedium of a nine-to-five job for most of my life.
Of course, there comes a time when almost every author asks himself what his effort and output really amounts to? We expect our work to influence people, to please great many readers, when in fact its impact is limited. Those who work on a large scale must feel discouraged by the world’s indifference.
To be a good writer, a successful writer, you must be original. Create your own characters. They may be based on real people, but not on other writers’ creations. Originality is everything. We want to be writers, but not copycats.