Cocky

[rowyn]

We are all so absurdly cocky.

I don't know that anyone really deserves this rant, but I was just thinking it as I was reading about someone else's creative process. I was thinking of saying something about my own, and then I thought: What the heck do I know about how to write? What do I really know? I'm not a published author. I haven't published so much as a single short story (well, wait, there's "The Bribe" -- thanks, Tufty and Greywolf! -- but that's not exactly the most impressive credential). I haven't so much as finished writing a single novel. The closest I've come is wrapping up the occasional plot thread on Sinai.

So what do I know about it?

Moreover: what do all these folks talking about it know about it? 'Cause most of the people I hear going on about "their process" don't have credentials any more impressive than mine. And yet they talk, with the most amazing confidence, about "what it takes to get published" and "what works" and "what doesn't work" and "pitfalls to avoid" and on and on and on. I can't blame 'em, exactly. I do it, too. We parrot what we've read or been taught by someone else, or our fumblings as we move forward, or backwards, or sideways.

It's hard to take any of us very seriously. Maybe we're right. But goodness, how would we know if we are? If I believe Richard Bachman -- who at least has credentials -- I ought to have quit writing Prophecy six months ago and finished Silver Scales instead. But here I am, still going ... wherever I'm going. Whyever I'm going. I don't even know where this entry's going. Up in my journal, I guess.

Comments

[haikujaguar.livejournal.com]

Don't let it bother you too much! You might not know what works for you perfectly, but what you've heard, what you've considered, what you've tried and cast aside: any of these things might be new to the person you're talking to, and it might work for them.

We're all trying to spread as much knowledge around as possible. Some people are looking for clues in other people's creative processes. Others are just curious bystanders. Some want to know how to "make it." Others just want to know why they feel like they're incomplete, or why they feel like they're failing (even though they probably aren't).

There are people who've made it whose examples aren't worthy of emulation. There are people who never cared about fame or a career whose work habits (hobby habits?) and whose philosophies are very worth exploration. Material success is not a measure of artistic accomplishment. People forget, understandably, in their rush to become successful enough to not have to do anything but what they love. :)

[rowyn]

Don't let it bother you too much! You might not know what works for you perfectly, but what you've heard, what you've considered, what you've tried and cast aside: any of these things might be new to the person you're talking to, and it might work for them.

Good point. I think the subliminal inspiration for this entry was less listening to people talk about how to write -- about which most people are quite open-minded -- and more about people who talk about how to publish. I've heard rather a lot of people (not on LJ) say what I have to do if I want to get published. And they may be right -- I don't have any reason to say that they're not. But I've noticed that none of them are published, either, which does make me wonder. ;)

People forget, understandably, in their rush to become successful enough to not have to do anything but what they love. :)

Ironically, the more I work at writing, the more I wonder if I really love it this much. After all, my day job pays fairly well and isn't nearly this hard. :)

[haikujaguar.livejournal.com]

There are many myths to publishing... and one of them is that you have to quit your day job once you are rewarded. Many people don't, and continue to be successful on terms they've decided.

There's nothing wrong with that.

The truth about publishing writing is so simple that people like to embellish it. The secret formula is: Write. Finish what you write. Send it out until someone buys it.

Yes, it helps to network. Luck helps. You can pay people to buy your work, backwards as that is. But none of it makes up for... writing. Finishing what you write. And sending it out until someone buys it. :)

And while I don't have the credentials to be a cocky advice-giver on novels, I do to be a cocky advice-giver on short stories. :)

[rowyn]

The truth about publishing writing is so simple that people like to embellish it. The secret formula is: Write. Finish what you write. Send it out until someone buys it.

I want to thank you for this. I've been getting an earful of "you have to network to get published, you'll never get anywhere if you don't". And while I imagine there's some truth to this, I'm relieved to hear at least one person willing to stick up for the old "Just keep doing it" position. I've had trouble motivating myself to network, but writing up cover letters and sticking stories in envelopes ... I can actually manage that part. To some degree, anyway. :)

So I found your comment simultaneously encouraging and reassuring, and I appreciate that. I know I ought to at least try networking -- but this is a reminder that it won't hurt me to keep doing the write-mail-repeat method, either. :)

[haikujaguar.livejournal.com]

Networking is good. It's also (catch 22!) much harder to do unless you're already published. Getting into the big parties is easier if you're already established.

I didn't need networking to sell my first stories... and in fact, those whispers you always hear that editors notice you even in the slush pile appear to be true. So keep sending your work in, over and over. Trust me, someone's read them and is keeping an eye on you. :)

[rowyn]

In fact, those whispers you always hear that editors notice you even in the slush pile appear to be true.

That's good to hear, too. I've been preoccupied with working on my novel lately, and not trying to write short stories. I'd like to do more shorts, though. There's something satisfying about being able to finish a concept in a matter of days instead of years. :) And it takes lots less time to get a story rejected than a novel, too. :)