cobwebs fall on an old skipping record

Yesterday, I taped another Best Week Ever, which will air this Friday. I had a wonderful time. I made myself laugh, and I made everyone else at the taping laugh. I really hope that I get to be a more regular part of that show, because it’s so much fun.
But check out This totally cool thing that happened in the parking garage when I was waiting for the elevator:
I gave my ID to the security guard and told him I was going to tape Best Week Ever. While he signed me in, the elevator doors opened, and a really cute girl walked out. (I only mention that she was really cute because . . . let’s face it, I’m a guy, and guys notice these things.)
She looked right at me and said, “I love your website.” She said it simply, and matter-of-factly,
I felt like I’d just won a million dollars, man. I didn’t even know what to say, so I just said, “Thank you so much!”
She walked past me and the security guard, and disappeared into the garage.
I felt like I was in this bubble of joy, where the rest of the world didn’t exist. She didn’t say that she liked this movie I did twenty years ago, or this TV show that I did fifteen years ago. She didn’t even say “You know, I don’t think Python sucked that bad . . .” She said that she loved my website, this thing that I’m doing now. Like I mentioned last week, I haven’t done much in the acting world over the last few years that I’m proud of . . . but I’m very proud of my website.
Is it okay to say that? I don’t want to come off as a dick, and I’m keenly aware of the Pride coming before the Fall . . . but I really do like what I’ve been able to do here.
My whole life I wanted to write, but I never did because I thought I was supposed to be an actor. But every morning, I get up, drink way too much coffee, and spend the next three or four hours doing what I love: I work on Just A Geek, or I write something for my website, or something for ACME . . . most of the stuff I write I don’t even publish. I just do it so I write every day . . . and it rules. Sometimes it’s good, sometimes it’s utter crap, most of the time it’s just sort of there . . . but it’s mine, and when that girl said that she loved my website, I felt like I could own the joy her comments brought me, because what you read here is really me. I’m not playing a character, or trying to make a shitty script into something worth watching . . . I’m creating images and recreating scenes from my life, without a director or a producer or a studio getting between what I want to create and what the audience gets to see.
If I stare at this much longer, I’m going to lose my nerve and not publish it, so I’ll just say: If I wasn’t writing, I’d be a nervous wreck right now, waiting for feedback from that audition, and freaking out about why they aren’t calling back . . . but I’ve got other stuff going on now.
A few days ago, I bought the 2004 Writer’s Market, because I’m going to face my fears of rejection and see if some magazines or anthologies are interested in publishing some of my stories. I never would have even dreamed about doing that last year, but you guys who read this site have given me so much support and encouragement, and O’Reilly is so excited about Dancing Barefoot, it seems like the risk is justified. I don’t want to get too excited about stuff that hasn’t happened yet, but I’m happy right now.
I guess that’s what this post is about: I’m really happy right now. It feels like some of the risks I’ve taken in the last few years are starting to pay off, and I wanted to share that with anyone who reads WWdN, because without you guys, none of this would be happening.

178 thoughts on “cobwebs fall on an old skipping record”

  1. I’ve been reading here for a couple of months, but never posted before. I look forward every day to reading what you’ve written. And based on the number of comments you’ve got here, there are a lot of other people who feel the same way.
    The scariest thing about writing is the possibility of rejection. But rejection does happen to most of us (me, like a hundred times over), and the good news is that most of the time we can learn from it. And use it to make our stuff even better. At least that’s what happened to me.
    I got a very detailed rejection letter from an agent last year, telling me everything I’d done wrong in my novel. But after moping and sulking about it a bit (a requirement for me), I made some of the changes and now, this year, I sold that book. So, now, I get that rejection is just part of the process for most of us. Not something to fight against, but to learn from.
    In fact, you had a quote on your site (I don’t know where) that inspired me to keep going. It was from a writer who said something to the effect that he quit trying to sell his book too soon. That if he’d kept at it, someone would have taken it and he would have started his career years earlier.
    So, you do great and wonderful things for us readers out here. I just ordered Dancing Barefoot yesterday. And I’m looking forward to reading all that you write in the future.
    Stacey

  3. So…how long did it take for you to realize you really wanted to be a writer, then realize 20-some years ago you played a character who grew up to be a writer, and go “whoa”?
    Just curious. =)

  4. Very cool story, Wil. if i ever see you on the street somewhere I’ll say the exact same thing. so be prepared…if you ever happen to be walking aroud boulder colorado that is. :p

  5. I will SO read anything you write.
    I’d love to see you publish some more stuff in the market. Please do us all a favor and post where your stuff gets accepted, which I have no doubt it will.
    Michelle

  6. this is my first time posting… yeah!
    I just LOVE the title of your post. Cobswebs fall on an old skipping record… it reminds me of Cake, Their first song on Fashion Nugget, )Frank Sinartra_ is the name I think…
    I have loved your site for many months, and I am about to buy Dancing Barefoot so I can start pouring into it. Thank you for your openess to life, that is what makes your site so wonderful

  9. I’m really glad a friend recommended your site to me, and I enjoy seeing the “updated” link beside you website name because I know I’ll get to read something interesting today. But this post in particular really spoke to me. Why? Because I’m at a point now where some risks will have to taken that might mean the difference between doing work that pays the bills, and doing work I enjoy (that hopefully pays the bills.) I just hope I maintain the courage to go through with it like you did because I can’t wait for the day that I’m truly happy with what I do for a living. Obviously, you don’t know me, but I’m proud of what you’ve done in your life and just inspire me to risk a little in the hopes that the results will be big. I wish you continued success with your writing!

  10. Sorry for paraphrasing what’s been said before, but I did want to reiterate the best points: Look through your handbook and find what you think are relevant publications. Start submitting. Keep the rejections that you get. (And you will get them. Plenty of them.) More important that anything else – KEEP SUBMITTING. As someone said earlier, many rejections have little or NOTHING to do with the quality of your piece – they simply mean that that particular piece won’t work for that particular issue or publication. But, and I can’t say this enough – KEEP SUBMITTING. That is the only way that you will find the right place at the right time to take what you have to offer and showcase it in the right way – if you aren’t offering it, consistently and frequently, you aren’t giving your own work the chance it deserves to be published. Sorry to be so pedantic – but I wouldn’t waste my time saying it if you weren’t a writer worth giving the ego bitch-slap to. You are more than worth it – now get out there and farm those editors, boy! JUST DO IT!

  14. Also known as water? Brilliant! Genius. It took me half a second to get that, and I am sure that 90% of Americans didn’t catch it. More WW on VH1!!!

  15. I did see it, and as we speak I am composing a strongly worded letter to the producers suggesting that more Wheaton will instantly attract the millions (and millions) of the site’s posters to their rinky-dink little network.

  16. I started a thread on the Best Week Ever message board, asking for more Wil. Add on, and maybe we can make a difference. TOGETHER, WE CAN! lol
    Best Week Ever MB

  17. I chuckled more at your seven words than I did watching the whole show. Most of the people were dreadfully unfunny.
    Thank Goodness for TiVO. When my husband came home, I was able to fast forward to your scene pronto…

  18. My husband and I are moving this weekend, with all the packing and sorting that entails. Even so, we kept watching the clock Friday night, waiting for BWE. At 10:58 pm we dropped what we were doing, jumped onto the couch, changed the channel to VH1, and anxiously awaited Will.
    And waited. And … waited … until almost the end where you said a few words and were gone. We wordless turned to each other and just looked for a moment. Confused.
    Though we were disappointed that you were cut down to one comment, it was still funny, and nice to see you. There was not enough WW in that show, and I for one am going the their site and telling them all about it.

  19. The Writers Market tomes are often out of date by the time they roll out. But they do have good essays and other info. For more up to date market resources try these:
    The Gila Queen’s Guide to Markets: http://gilaqueen.us/ Covers all forms of fiction (literary to genre) and markets you’ve never heard of. Lots of contest/grant information often included.
    The Market List: http://www.marketlist.com/
    Support for Writers, a resource announce list run by Nalo Hopkinson on Yahoo. To sign up, I think you can find it in the Yahoo Groups list.

  20. Wow. Half a second and six words saying exactly what I’d been thinking. I don’t know if I’m overjoyed or disappointed. Both, I think.

  22. Wow..I’m jogging on my tread, and decided to tune into this show..I about died when Wil popped onto the screen..I was like ohmigod..:D
    I had no clue..Very cool man.

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