I have found something to be true in my time as a "writer". That is, there are a lot of people out there that fancy themselves writers. And the majority of them have a very hard time talking about it. I am guilty of this by the way, so don't think this is a 'holier than thou' type of blog post, because it isn't.
When my loving wife would bravely bring up the fact that I was writing a book in conversation, the inevitable questioning from the well-meaning participants would be met with plenty of stammering and foot shuffling. As well as enough 'ummms' and 'uhhhs' to fill at least a novella with.
The consequence of such conversations usually left me surly, and well quite frankly, embarrassed. A state I would remain in until my wife would drag me out of it usually kicking and screaming the whole way.
It wasn't until she pointed out this pattern to me that I realized there was an issue. I was embarrassed that I wanted to write. It's a silly concept really, but it for a lot of us is a common one with which we are far too familiar with than we would like to admit.
I'm coming to a place (and this blog is part of said place), where I am not afraid to sit down and discuss openly and honestly, what it takes for me to consider myself a professional author (which I am not).
Now I love discussing the ins and outs associated with Overshadowed (my book) in detail and in great length. I feel I have faced this fear and conquered it. But let's be honest with ourselves here. What are we really scared of? The fear of being labeled a stereotype, or getting laughed at for chasing a dream. Or the ever-popular and aforementioned (in a previous entry) fear of failure. For me it's the fear that what I want to do is not good enough. That I will write this huge long book and have every publishing house say "close, but no cigar". This is a tightrope walk for me because in my heart I know I have what it takes, and I know my stories are flat-out awesome (even if my punctuation isn't). And at the same time I know this might not be enough and I have invested soooooo much into this venture that I cannot afford to fail. I can't fail because I have too much to write. I am a huge fan of my stories and it will be tragic if they are aborted due to lack of time, effort, or opportunity on my part. That is why it is such a precarious journey because I have given up so much to pursue this dream. The dream that it will all pay off, and I will someday be doing what I love to do (write). I'll of course get paid for it, and I will be able to do it from the comfort of my home surrounded by the ones I love (my family). The fear I need to face is that dream not coming true. Not because my writing isn't good enough, but simply because there are so many things I can't control. When I have overcome that fear I will make a huge step towards the finish line in this race.
My practical advice is have thick skin. I actively seek out peoples opinions that I know will give my writing an honest review. I want someone who is more willing to point out the bad than the good. I've had people tell me that Overshadowed is an amazing book, and one of the best they have ever read. It’s a great compliment and an enjoyable experience, but it doesn't help me get past the plateau I'm on. It doesn't help me improve anything. It doesn't show me what I need to know. Which is how do I take my story to a place where it is so good a publisher cannot say no. And that is why I appreciate criticism, not because it feels good, but because it helps me do that. It helps me ask the hard questions. It helps me make the changes I need.
Praise is enjoyable, but at the risk of sounding shallow; getting paid is much better.
another great post
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