I think those of us that do this would do it in any situation. Even when I was drinking I WROTE. Letters, fragments, story ideas, diary stuff, there was always, ALWAYS wordage.

The part that's commitment is learning the disciplines that go with it and sticking to it... things like FINISHING stuff, which hangs up an awful lot of us. Another is actually sending it off to a real editor or otherwise trying for actual publication, and that's another hurdle not very many people clear. Especially now with the internet providing so many inviting, non-critical substitutes that scratch a nearly-identical itch. Blogs, fanfic sites, everything else. Those certainly are great things and many folks serve apprenticeships there-- hell, I did-- but sooner or later, if you are in it for real, you have to dig in and set professional standards for yourself. Eventually if you are ANY good at ALL, it pays off. And once you cash your first writing check, you never go back, it spoils you for half-measures forever.

I've known you were one of the good once since we were in our twenties, so it delights me to see you going back to it.