新世纪大学英语综合教程2课文3.docVIP

The?ShadowlandofDreams

?AlexHaley?

Manya?youngpersontellsmehewantstobeawriter.Ialwaysencouragesuchpeople,butIalsoexplainthattheresadifferencebetweenbeingawriterandwriting.Inmostcasestheseindividualsaredreamingofwealthand?fame,notthelonghoursaloneatthetype-writer.Youvegottowanttowrite,Isaytothem,notwanttobeawriter.

Therealityisthatwritingisalonely,?private?andpoor-payingaffair.Foreverywriterkissedbyfortune,therearethousandsmorewhoselongingisnever?rewarded.Eventhosewhosucceedoftenknowlongperiodsof?neglectandpoverty.Idid.

WhenIlefta20-yearcareerinthe?CoastGuard?tobecomea?freelance?writer,Ihadno?prospects?atall.WhatIdidhavewasafriendwithwhomIdgrownupin?Henning,?Tennessee.Georgefoundmemyhome--acleaned-out?storage?roomintheGreenwichVillage?apartmentbuildingwhereheworkedas?superintendent.Itdidntevenmatterthatitwascoldandhadnobathroom.ImmediatelyIboughtaused?manual?typewriterandfeltlikea?genuine?writer.

Afterayearorso,however,?Istillhadntreceivedabreak?andbegantodoubtmyself.ItwassohardtosellastorythatIbarelymadeenoughtoeat.ButIknewIwantedtowrite.Ihaddreamedaboutitforyears.?Iwasntgoingtobeoneofthosepeoplewhodiewondering,Whatif??Iwouldkeep?puttingmydreamtothetest--eventhoughitmeantlivingwith?uncertainty?andfearoffailure.?ThisistheShadowlandofhope,andanyonewithadreammustlearntolivethere.

ThenonedayIgotacallthatchangedmylife.Itwasntan?agent?or?editor?offeringabig?contract.Itwastheopposite,?akindof?siren?call?tempting?metogiveupmydream.?Onthephonewasanold?acquaintance?fromtheCoastGuard,nowstationed?in?SanFrancisco.?Hehadoncelentmeafew?bucks?andlikedtoeggmeaboutit.?WhenamIgoingtogetthe＄15,Alex?heteased.

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