I read Why Jessica Lawlor Gave Up Her Dream of Writing a Novel (For Now) and wanted to share a different perspective. I have reached the mid-career point and thought I would share my experiences as a counterpoint to Jessica's excellent article. When I finished school back in 1996, I had dreams of being a novelist and then the reality of my school loans hit home. I made a conscious choice, very much like Jessica's, to put my novel writing on hold. Many years passed until I decided to write and actually publish my books.