When a writer comes to me for help, no matter the simplicity or complexity of the help they need, the first thing I ask them is "What do you ultimately want to see happen?"
I ask them this because I need to know in what direction to travel along with them. If they hand me a draft and say, "Help me get this published." then I know how far we're going to walk together on this project. If they say, "I just need some tips on writing without adverbs, you know, for group." then I know it's a much shorter walk. There are a great number of people (I'd even say the majority of people) who drag their feet and dance around what it is they want to do. They aren't sure if they can get published, they're not sure if they're good enough, they're not sure if they want to be serious about it.
They're scared.
They're scared of the possible commitment that publication would ask of them. They examine their life in a heartbeat, look at their comfort levels and habits and gauge whether or not they want to have new experiences (some unpleasant) that although ultimately pay off would require change in the more immediate future.
Cowards, every single one of them.
I don't know specifically what they're afraid of. Maybe they're afraid the book won't sell, maybe they're afraid that people will ostracize them for writing. Maybe they're afraid that their seventh-grade teacher will track them down and red pen their book to death. Whatever the fear, it's keeping them from taking the writing seriously.
I've said that to a few groups before and people find me afterward to say, "I'm not afraid." and they're quite defiant about it, as though I've challenged them (which is sort of the point, actually). And when I inquire as why they haven't pursued publication then, they give me the answers of a person stuck in fear, "Well, I don't wanna." or "I could if I wanted to." I press them for more explanation, they don't have any to give me, and then they either vanish so that I don't hear from them again or they go tell their friends what kind of jerk of I am for not "understanding their process as artistes".
To make this point clear - If you come to me and say "I want to be published" there is a lot of hard work ahead of you. There are drafts and revisions and edits and submissions to do. You'll be spending a lot of time looking and dissecting something that you may have at one point considered just a hobby. If you want to keep things light, and treat it like a hobby, or (sometimes worse) something you do to pass time and sort out your life (you know, instead of actually sorting out your life), then you have considerably less writing to do, but a lot more living to do. I will treat you accordingly.
It's not that I dislike hobbyist writers, I know many of them, and many of them are quite talented who could be published easily in their respective genres. A lot of them have their reasons for not being published, and they're not afraid, they're just not interested. And that's fine. Good for them for having their heads on straight.
Do I dislike the writer who writes without purpose? Do I dislike the person who puts words together just to pass the time and sidestep their life and then hides behind the mask of "writing" when convenient? Yes. I have no patience for people who won't face their problems and effort to do something about them. If your life sucks because your parents still don't "understand you", or because "you still don't understand yourself" or because you boxed yourself into a dead-end job because you thought so little of yourself...then I have this to say:
Either do everything in your power to get your life (your actual life, not your writing life) together and moving forward or please do not slow the rest of us down. I do not entertain stupid people or stupid questions, and the people who wallow in their problems and who are addicted to their own negativity seem to be both stupid and loaded with stupid questions.
If you want to be published, if you want take the idea(s) out of Microsoft Word and put them onto paper that goes into book that goes onto a shelf so that someone can buy it, then commit to it 100% percent. It starts with a statement (that you can make aloud, and preferably in front of a mirror)
The statement -- I will be published. I will write this story, finish it, and do everything I can to get it published.
If this statement disinterests you, and you can clearly say, "I want to write, but not be published" then that's fine, and I encourage you to write your fingers off. But just know that if you ever want to turn the corner from hobby to profession, there is work involved. If you're scared of doing the work, remember that you'll never have to do it alone. There are resources and people you can turn to. If you're not scared of the workload and still don't want to be published then just go back to writing your stories and doing whatever you do.
I have talked before about decisions you make as an author. The first decision you make (and one of the biggest) is whether or not you're serious about this craft as a profession, that is, as a way to generate income. And I don't mean like passive Google-Ads income, I mean this: you write, they print, you get a check. If that process appeals to you, then please understand the following:
1. If you're going to do it, YOU are the only thing in the universe that can/will stop you.
2. In order to do this, YOU must write as though your life depended on it.
3. It will not be easy or quick but when has anything truly great in your life been either of those things?
4. A lot of habits are going to have to change and will change as a result of this process. The first of which is YOUR mind, as you will have to come to terms with the enormity of the task you're engaged in and the inherent brilliance of your own mind to perform it.
5. You must must must MUST know and believe that you're good enough to do this. People are going to try and stop you, hinder you or even discourage you. Do not let them. This is your life, your art and your work, let nothing stop you.
Take this seriously, it can only help you if you do.
No comments:
Post a Comment