There’s No Magic Indicator
Is it worth it? It’s a question we see over and over in the writing world. And not just introspectively, but, as was discussed in the comments of Nathan Bransford’s blog today, when we should and shouldn’t encourage writing.
To that question, Sex Scenes at Starbucks said it best:
I wholeheartedly agree that no one should discourage a writer to write. Who are we to make that call? But moreover, I liken this very conversation (sorry Nathan) to when my kids tattle.
I always ask them, "Who are you in charge of?"
"Just myself," they say.
Through the comments section, I kept reading the likes of, “But I hope a professional would tell me if I should throw in the towel and stop writing.”
To that I say there’s no magic indicator. No one can know such a thing. And that’s a question typically asked at the beginning of their journey, which makes it one thousand times more difficult to answer.
First, writing is a skill like any other and it takes, at the very, very least, 10,000 hours to get to mastery. There is no telling, by how much your first efforts suck or don’t suck, where you’ll be in twenty years. Even ten years down the road, there is no telling how much you’ll grow in another ten years.
Worse, even when you’re great, you’ll still write a clunker now and then. (Sometimes they’ll even be published!)
There’s no way for someone else to ever say, “You won’t ever make it.” Worst of all, in this business, there’s no way for someone to say, “You rock. There’s no way you won’t be published.” (I’ve thought and said that about so many people who haven’t been, which sucks.)
We are such a success-focused society. It’s crazy. It’s like some people think someone’s choice to write is only wise if they get published one day. Getting published is not a big deal. It’s an ego rush for five minutes (hopefully only five minutes, but sometimes they can get out of hand), you get a check (and getting a check may feel great, but in the long run, doing something for money is far less fun than doing something for fun), and the IRS says you’re a writer and asks you to hand over half your income (which sucks).
Of course, when the going gets tough, we ALL wish a fairy godmother would come from the future and say, “Someday, this will all be worth it.” But we are grown-ups, and we have to make our journey worth it, no matter what the whole world may think or judge, because somedays may or may not come.
What think you?
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Natasha Fondren is a writer traveling the U.S. in a camper with her four cats and husband. She spends summers camped near her niece, because, well, her niece is her favorite girl on the planet.
I agree with you wholeheartedly. While publication can be a goal, it shouldn’t be the sole reason you write. At least not for me. Great post!
I guess what I meant to say is that it shouldn’t be the justification to the world as to why one writes, LOL.
Amen, sisterfriend.
Susan,
This is a fabulous post! I can think of people I know who were told to give up and do something else, that they’d never make it. And now they’re many times published. There is no way I would ever tell anyone not to continue–if that’s what they feel they should do. And no one better tell me that, either.
That’s awful that they were told that, but it’s awesome that they were published! So cool, Edie!
And yeah. If someone told me that, I’d laugh and shrug.
Great post, Natasha! It’s so true, too! I get a lot of pleasure from writing, and that feels like enough for me. Being published by a NY publishing firm would be a rush, but after a couple of months I’d be back to my regular life – which isn’t that bad.
Robin, it’s great to have a “regular life” one loves. I can’t believe it’s so much fun, actually, LOL!
Over the years most of my writing was for sf fanzines and mini-comics and even homemade computer games. There was no thought of professional publication involved but I loved doing it, and sf fans, mini-comics folks and computer gamers enjoyed some of my efforts just as I enjoyed theirs. So one doesn’t need to write for publication.
Also, I have had a tiny bit of professional success but for years I was basically told I had no chance. I joke about not even being able to get anything in my very small college’s literary magazine, but I remember. Those lit people considered I had ZERO talent. Well, damn few (or none) of them have even co-authored one book. So, no, you can’t tell. No one can tell.
Eric, that’s almost like the environment I write in. Originally we all just wrote for fun, mostly for each other, kinda. It’s still paid, but by and large, most of the writers are fans rather than writers. We’re all just lucky it pays!
That is an AWESOME story, Eric! I just want to say: HAH! IN THEIR FACE!
Aw, thx for the shout-out.
I guess you know what I think.
Hi Natasha. I agree with you, except I’ve so many people ask me if I thought they should keep writing, was their stuff good enough for print, and go on to tell me they were too depressed to write if they didn’t get something published that I sometimes wonder why they are writing in the first place if they’re so miserable. Writing is fun! Sure it’s work, but even a bad day writing is better than a good day at the office!
So here’s the thing: if writing and the uncertainty of getting published is so terrible, maybe it’s time to put some fun back into the process. Concentrate on loving the process and not worrying about the outcome!
Always good advice, Rick! Plus, the “having fun” bit shows through, you know? I mean, it sort of infuses the work and makes it better.
I am a writer who has never been published. it is not unreasonable to believe I will NEVER be published. That is depressing. To write story after story after story that nobody seems to want to read often makes me wonder just what the h-ll’s wrong with me.
But I have spent all my life, and nearly forty years in the workplace, doing what others think I should be doing. And what has it got me? Nothing except money. And not a lot of that either. And now I’m kicked out. Old and unemployed with no hope of doing anything I would enjoy – except write. I just don’t get paid for it.
If that makes me a horrible person then so be it. But if all life is about is doing something I can’t stand doing so I can eat then what the h-ll is the purpose of even being here?
It isn’t about the money. And while the validation of being published would make me feel wonderful (for five minutes [smile]), it isn’t just about being published either. The stories need to be told. Even if no one is reading.
You’re right. Each sale is a five minute smile. Even when I sold my novella for “real” money the high only last about a day. Then it was back to work. I’m sure I got four rejections right after, lol.
For me, though, I find a lot of satisfaction in submitting. When my stuff is out there making rounds, I’m happy. Keeping a decent stables of short stories in circulation makes me happy. At least that way I know I’m doing all I can.
Which reminds me, next week is agent submission week for me…
Bets, I think every reason to write is a good one. It does feel good to be out and about, I think!
Makes me feel productive and stuff.
Bevie, how frustrating! I hear you. Doing something one can’t stand definitely sucks the soul out of you. It’s a terrible feeling. I just try to align with what I feel is right for me as much as possible, and then align my expenses with that, LOL. It’s a toughie, for sure.
Heck with validation. You deserve a crown!
Thanks. Although when the bills arrive validation would be nice.
human beings, all walks of life, need so much reassurance. That’s what the question, will I make it, comes down to. and as you say, there’s no way of telling, and no way to answer that question. It all depends on what you are willing to do to develop your craft.
You’re absolutely right, Charles. Why do we need that, I wonder? Everyone deserves it, really.
Hi Natasha:
I agree. I would never tell anyone to give it up. That said, I have met way-too-many-to-count writers who don’t get that it might take 10,000 hours to master it, that there are no shortcuts, and they WANT shortcuts. And I generally feel like “if the only reason you are doing this is to get famous or you think there’s some shortcut then quit now.” Because those people are usually the ones whose writing is just god awful.
Isn’t that frustrating, Erica? I wish I had room to tell you about the “advice” I got at my first RWA conference from that type. Oh well, I guess they’ll get a clue eventually, whether they want it or not. Like you, I wouldn’t tell someone to give up.
I’ll admit I’ve sometimes thought it’d be nice to have a professional opinion about whether or not I should keep trying to get published, but not to keep writing.
Excellent attitude.
That makes sense, Melanie. It sure would help, you know? I guess I sort of figure that for me, if the answer were no, I’d keep trucking and keep working. If it were yes, I’d keep trucking and keep working. LOL!
I don’t think you can tell so I would rather encourage than discourage. I’m reminded of the story–I first heard it from Lawrence Block–about an aspiring violinist who came up to a maestro and asked him to listen to him play. He agreed. The aspiring violinist played & the maestro shrugged and said, “You lack the fire.” So the aspiring violinist quit, moved on with his life, because a successful businessman, then years later raninto the maestro and asked him about what he did and did not hear in his playing. The maestro said: “I tell everyone that. I wasn’t even listening. If you really had the fire you wouldn’t have listened to me and would have gone on to play anyway.”
Well, a rather brutal story, but I understand the concept. Writing (or any of the other arts) really isn’t for wimps.
Mark, I hear you. Like Bets said, who am I to make that call?
LOL… I always hated that story. (Strange, I sort of forget why, but I used to have a whole rant on it.) It’s true, though, considering what I just wrote after Melanie’s comment.
But there are so many people who are far better than me who don’t have the faith to keep going without encouragement of some kind.
(I think it was the age of the violinist that bothered me, LOL! Although adults are far more sensitive than children, so… I don’t know.
)
I agree. [nod]
I mean, I’ve certainly run into baby writers (of whatever chronological age) who were just awful, and some of those had a know-it-all attitude and were breaking their own arms patting themselves on the back for how much they rocked. These people had no patience for any suggestions or constructive criticism; they were sure their limp, maggot-ridden prose was Just The Bestest!!! And yeah, my estimate of these folks is that they’re never going to make it, because they don’t think they have any need to learn or grow or study the craft. And I certainly will stop banging my head against that particular brick wall and find someone more receptive to advice.
But in all seriousness, while I truly do believe that many, and possibly most of these people are just going to languish in their little ruts forever, I also believe that a few of them will experience the classic lightning bolt of insight at some point, realize how much they have to learn, and get busy learning it. I just don’t know which ones those are, so I’m still not going to waste my time with them while they’re stuck in their little “I’m Awesome!” caves of self-delusion.
I’d never tell someone to just stop writing, though. I might suggest to someone that they might not want to submit their current story to every editor in the country, because 1) massive waste of postage, and 2) you don’t want them associating this particular quality level with your name. But if someone wants to keep writing, then they should keep writing. Writing and submitting are two different things, and the actual writing is where most of the satisfaction is, and where all the learning and growing happens.
And you never know who’s going to be hit by lightning some day.
Angie
This is true, Angie! Just think of the Professor of Divination at Hogwarts!
She only had two good, true premonitions in her whole life, LOL! Even though she was batty!
Lately, it takes me so much work and so long to write, that I just don’t have the time to worry about other writers, LOL.
If I were doing this for money, I’d have quit a long time ago. I gotta write. There is such satisfaction in coming up with an idea and seeing it develop into a full fledged story.
Liz, I was opposite you, but found the same conclusion. Money kept me going through the tough years, when I probably would have quit otherwise. Now after all of that, I’ve learned that, like you said, the real satisfaction is coming up with an idea and building a novel. Love it!
I agree with everything you wrote.
I would add, though, that on the other end of the spectrum, I am instantly suspicious of those who think they’re good writers. I mean, it could well prove true, but it’s certainly disconcerting. And it really should go without saying that I have no time whatsoever for those who don’t take constructive criticism (from anyone, I mean——certainly I could see someone not wanting it from ME, LOL).
[Also, I commented on your previous post, too, just a moment ago. I tell you of this here because I still resent spending fifteen minutes writing a comment on a post you wrote about candy, or food in literature, or something, several months ago that I don’t believe you ever read. Harrumph! >:[ XD)
Oh no, Joey! I PROMISE, I have read every single one of your posts! I can’t not. Even the ones that don’t come to my email and get stuck in the Spam or Pending folder, I eventually find and read.
And if YOU wrote it, believe me, I read every word! I promise! And I might mentally respond, but forget to go to the post and respond. But I did read it and think of it!
Okay, now on to your comment. (And I’ll go back to my previous post, I promise! And even when I’m real late in responding, I generally get back to it in a week. Or so. LOL! Facebook took over my blogging time!)
I have met so many writers who just take my breath away, that I’ve gotten very comfortable with sucking, LOL.
I have a writing partner who, in an HOUR, will whip out 2K of work better than the 2K I struggle with ALL DAY for 12 hours.
I love the process, though, so I’m cool with that. And she inspires me every day!
I recently left a comment at Eric’s place regarding my writing:
I never even considered writing until my mid-30s and that was only because my mother-in-law was a journalist and always seemed to recognize some talent in my words.
But I’m really not much of a writer, though I do love words. I banged out 1 1/2 novels and stopped. I’ve had no regrets – just proud that I tried and relieved that I retired.
No one ever told me not to write novels – I chose to not write novels. But like Eric was kind to point out, I enjoy posting essays and such at my blog site. I’ve been away for a while, but am tuning up to post more.
Reenie, that’s an awesome story. And the great thing is that your mother-in-law encouraged a talent you had, so you tried and found out on your own that you didn’t want to do it, and that was that.
I’m talented at teaching, but… it’s not for me. People fret about a “waste of talent,” but… we can’t do everything. We all have to find our own joys. Yours are a cool blog and house and essays! I could never do any of that!
Sure ya could. In fact you are doing it!
I was bitten by the writing bug several years ago. Now I love writing and can’t ever imagine not doing it. Two years ago I resigned from a job that I liked a lot to write full-time. It is an ever-changing journey. I don’t know if I’ll always be able to write full-time, or if I’ll always want to, but right now I am loving it. It’s definitely not about money.
Paul, I’m sorta in the same place. I’m writing full-time, and loving it. I am sure cherishing my life now and doing everything I can to keep it.