Rock & Roll

On Saturday, HBO aired the inductions to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Since I was afraid of missing it, I recorded it. As I write this post, I'm watching/listening to it. Like many my age (not admitting to what age that is), I grew up with Rock & Roll. Younger people can't imagine how revolutionary that time was. And, oh, how our parents hated it. LOL

Now R&R is so common we've come to take it for granted. I'm always amazed when I see those artists that I remember as young looking so old. Never mind, I've gotten old(er), too. The artists had so many interesting tales to tell of how they got into the business, how they picked up their first guitar at 7, 10, 13 years old. How their mothers inspired them. How important their band/sidekicks were to their success. I think I'm more amazed at how long it took before they were inducted. They all had great financial success, acclaim by their fans, but that one validation (by the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame) eluded them.

The comparison to writing and writers is inevitable. How we got started writing, who influence us. More so why we got into this business. What do we crave? Sales, of course. This is a business. Recognition by our fans? Of course. Where would we be without our fans? Acclaim by our peers. I love when fellow writers say how much they enjoy my books. The pinnacle of recognition by our peers is the RITA (romance), the EDGAR (mystery), the HUGO (science fiction).

It took forty years for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame to induct Linda Ronstadt, KISS, Hall & Oates, Cat Stevens, and the E Street Band, among others.

My point is to enjoy what you do. You may never get recognized. Or it may take 40 years. Not sure about you, but that's too long for me. So I'll keep writing what I enjoy, what I want to read.