Happiness is not what you have. Awards are nice, but the glow fades. Social recognition can motivate you, but what about when it turns against you? Publication is very nice but contracts are not forever. Having these things can give temporary happiness. Not having these things can give unhappiness. But either state is usually temporary.

Unhappiness does not come from the obstacles you face: not social rejection, professional rejection, or even writer’s block.

Happiness is not in how you identify yourself. Where you are in the lists is not entirely in your control. Freelance or contract, what works for you now may change. Poet, novelist, screenwriter, none of these give more happiness than the others. Whether you write part-time, full-time, or casually, the type of writer you are does not lead to happiness.

Unhappiness is not a stage of the writing process.

Happiness is internal. It comes from how you think about what you have, how you identify yourself, and what you do. Change your thoughts and you change your mood. Now if only that was simple…