I've learned something interesting as I've navigated the writing world. It's something that I've tried to share with various writers, but many still don't seem to get it.
First and foremost I want to write books and so do most of the writers I associate with. But the problem is they get inside this little box of the "novel writer" and they cringe at the thought of learning to write anything else, let alone attempting to get it published.
The problem with this is multi-faceted. First, that only limits you as a writer. To say "I'm a poet and so I only write poetry" is like enjoying a certain food and only eating that day after day. Some forms of writing may seem foreign and awkward at first, but there is something to be learned in tasting them all. All it can do is expand your experience as a writer.
The second problem is that in being so narrow-minded, many writers think that they're going to write this first book and get it published all within this safety zone they've created. They don't consider that writing is a business and a successful writer must be businesslike. No one would attempt to open a business without networking and advertising and so how can you, as a writer, expect to succeed likewise. Networking comes through expanding your horizons and taking chances when they present themselves.
Case in point. Shortly after I began writing my first book, I started writing articles for a small, though nationally syndicated, magazine. The two didn't seem to have much to do with each other until it was time to promote my book and the magazine I'd been writing for gave me a coveted spot on their product spolight page--introducing me to 60,000 potential readers. And more recently, I finally got a review of my second book in my state's largest newspaper--probably because I'd been writing for them for a few months!
Along the way my various writing experiences have introduced me to a variety of people and sources for improving my skills, marketing my books and finding the motivation that I've needed. So when I encourage writers to never pass up an opportunity to write--whether it's a product detail brochure for a local business or an article in a local newspaper--just take the chance and run with it. You never know where it will lead.
4/13/11
Criticism and the Writer
Here's a touchy topic: how do you, as a writer, handle criticism. The answer is: as gracefully as possible.
But the truth of the matter is, there are moments that are going to get the best of you. Such as:
1) When your editor tells you he/she hates how you've written your main character.
2) When you get an email or review from someone who says their 3-year-old could have written a better novel.
3) When someone who doesn't seem to have anything better to do harps on a tiny mistake you made regarding research in an article or other work.
The list could go on and on. And the reason why it can be hard to stay cool in these circumstances is that your writing is an extension of yourself. It's your emotions and your creativity put down on paper; hopefully your soul exposed for all the world to see.
Which leaves you open to attack because you have chosen to present yourself in a public way.
So what can you do when you begin to face the "slings and arrows of outrageous fortune"? Unfortunately in today's society you don't have the luxury of being a brooding artist who can fling mud in your attacker's face. Try a few of these ideas instead:
1) Consider the source. Unless this person is a New York Times bestselling author, a stellar agent or an editor whose opinion you've come to trust, their opinion is just that...an opinion. Don't rush out and rewrite anything just because one person tells you it stinks. Instead, try and have a group of peers in the industry who can give you honest feedback.
2) Consider their motivation. A recent survey states that over 80% of Americans have a dream of writing a book. So most likely you're dealing with a disgruntled wannabe author who possibly had the same idea for a book but has been trumped by you. Go easy on them.
3) Consider their feedback. All right. Here's one that few of us want to face. Are they right? If several people have given you feedback of a similar nature, you may want to accept that something isn't adding up right. And since we're trying to be open to improving our craft, look at their advice for what it's worth. If it has some validity, use it. If you still think it's a low blow, chuck it.
But the truth of the matter is, there are moments that are going to get the best of you. Such as:
1) When your editor tells you he/she hates how you've written your main character.
2) When you get an email or review from someone who says their 3-year-old could have written a better novel.
3) When someone who doesn't seem to have anything better to do harps on a tiny mistake you made regarding research in an article or other work.
The list could go on and on. And the reason why it can be hard to stay cool in these circumstances is that your writing is an extension of yourself. It's your emotions and your creativity put down on paper; hopefully your soul exposed for all the world to see.
Which leaves you open to attack because you have chosen to present yourself in a public way.
So what can you do when you begin to face the "slings and arrows of outrageous fortune"? Unfortunately in today's society you don't have the luxury of being a brooding artist who can fling mud in your attacker's face. Try a few of these ideas instead:
1) Consider the source. Unless this person is a New York Times bestselling author, a stellar agent or an editor whose opinion you've come to trust, their opinion is just that...an opinion. Don't rush out and rewrite anything just because one person tells you it stinks. Instead, try and have a group of peers in the industry who can give you honest feedback.
2) Consider their motivation. A recent survey states that over 80% of Americans have a dream of writing a book. So most likely you're dealing with a disgruntled wannabe author who possibly had the same idea for a book but has been trumped by you. Go easy on them.
3) Consider their feedback. All right. Here's one that few of us want to face. Are they right? If several people have given you feedback of a similar nature, you may want to accept that something isn't adding up right. And since we're trying to be open to improving our craft, look at their advice for what it's worth. If it has some validity, use it. If you still think it's a low blow, chuck it.
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