quote:The kind of rejection I worry about is from my own organs; editors don't scare me at all in comparison. I have confidence in my skills, too. So it's really "just" a matter of finding the right venues and audiences for my stories.
I couldn't agree more. Rejection (by editors, not organs) is like getting an immunization. Sure, the needle stings a little, but in the end you come out stronger. So just like when I get shots, I grimace a little, say thank you for your time, and move on.
posted
I don't think I'd be a "pro" right now even if I sold something.
Suppose I did sell something tomorrow. (I haven't got anything out at market, but that's not the point here.) I think I'd feel a little like the genie released from the bottle after two thousand years---he's happy to be out but he'd much rather have been released in the first thousand years.
There are aspects of "being a pro" that I don't think I'd go along with if I did become a literary success. For instance, there's been mention of a Writers of the Future awards banquet---I don't think I could bring myself to go to any awards banquet, be it them or the SFWA or somebody else.
I don't see that "this is what you do if you become a pro" is necessarily a good reason to do any of it. Should that time come---I'm not holding my breath waiting for it---I will decide what to do in a way that suits me best.
(Remember that the genie in the bottle eventually swore to kill whoever opened the bottle and let him out. I understand his feelings completely.)
posted
I like what some people have said, about professional status being about more than just paychecks.
Every pro I consider to be an example and or a mentor, preaches this doctrine:
Professionalism -- both a state of mind, and an action.
Professional writers adopt a "workplace" mentality about their fiction. They set structured hours for themselves, create designated spaces or even entire offices where they 'work' every day, or every week, with regularity. They work when they don't feel inspired, don't feel like it, and aren't necessarily in the mood. And they send that work out to publishers with regularity.
Thus many "new" writers who plop onto the pages of a magazine or who come out with a debut novel, have actually been 'professional' about their writing for at least a few years: cranking out the prose, developing a regimen, and getting the words onto the page, their muse be damned.
posted
I've got to say that if I stuck to a rigid schedule as far as writing goes, I'd probably never turn out anything at all. There seems to be enough things tugging at my time to prevent me working to a rigid schedule---and if I had one, I'd be interrupted.
Instead I write as the mood strikes me, a little at a time.
quote:Professional writers adopt a "workplace" mentality about their fiction. They set structured hours for themselves, create designated spaces or even entire offices where they 'work' every day, or every week, with regularity. They work when they don't feel inspired, don't feel like it, and aren't necessarily in the mood. And they send that work out to publishers with regularity.
I'm not entirely sure that all "professional" writers take quite this approach. I think I've heard of at least some that actually take only rather limited periods of time for structured writing.
Its been my experience that trying to force a story when it isn't coming usually doesn't lead to much of anything. Now, there have been times when the urge to lay down words isn't as strong as it sometimes is and yet if I sit down and get to it, it begins to flow. I think its a balance and one that is different for each of us.
Also, its important to remember that when it comes to what I consider professional writers...those who make their living off of it...that fact makes it possible for them to devote most of their time to writing. On the other hand, most of us work jobs to pay our bills that take up most of our time...and some like me have radically variable work schedules that make set writing schedules difficult or impossible to achieve.
However, I consider myself a serious writer and I do devote a good deal...probably the majority of my non-working time...to it. There is usually a stretch between stores or projects where I'm not doing a whole lot...but it isn't a long stretch.
I agree unconditionally, though, about sending stuff out. If you have any desire for publication of any kind and regardless of your other goals, if publication is one of them you need to be submitting. Letting stories moulder on your hardrive because you're scared they aren't "good enough" isn't going to get you anywhere. Write, and submit. Thats really all that matters, in my view.
posted
"Its been my experience that trying to force a story when it isn't coming usually doesn't lead to much of anything."
I agree - same thing has always been one of my problems.
Unfortunately if you want to be a productive, successful, professional writer, it's a problem you will probably have to overcome. There are days when anyone in a job doesn't feel "inspired", but they have to do the job anyway. Learning to work in such a way that you can write through the "uninspired" spells makes a big difference to a writer.
Elizabeth Bear commonly stresses an important lesson: it's OK for your first draft to suck. That's what rewrites are for. But you can't rewrite - you can't polish the story into something wonderful - if you don't have a first draft to work with.
posted
See, I don't really do re-writes though. Thats another thing I've meant to mention...I do some revision after crits come in, but as far as re-writing it from the begining...the only time I really do that is with vastly older stories after I've figured out some problem with them or learned a new skill I want to apply to it.
I try to get a story more or less "right" the first time. And in terms of productivity, if you write a draft and it takes a little longer, but requires only minimal polish and revision, I think it amounts to much the same thing as slapping on a first draft and basically having to do it all over again.
I'm a big believer, with all things, that sometimes rather than trying to bull through something, stepping back for a day or two may actually do more good and get more done, in the background, overall.
Also again time and other concerns are an issue. I'd be willing to bet those "uninspired" periods become less frequent when you dont have to deal with a stressful crap job day in and day out.
One certainly does need to get in the habit of writing as much as one can as often as one can. But I don't think beating onself up for missing a day or just typing random words that you're going to have to re-do later anyway really accomplishes much.
quote:Its been my experience that trying to force a story when it isn't coming usually doesn't lead to much of anything.
Agreed. In fact, my belief is something along the lines of: "When a fisherman can't go to the sea, he mends his nets." In my case, I work on my blog site or scout out new markets or read someone else's work...anything that will enhance the entirety of my writing profession.
posted
I dunno...one thing about leading the amateur life of writing means there aren't any deadlines, and deadlines help focus the mind. Not having a deadline doesn't help me focus on my writing; I could say I'll do such-and-such by such-and-such date, but it breaks down. I've got a couple of tricks up my sleeve to help me get things going when they're going slowly or not-at-all, things that jump-start my creativity in some way or other, but these things can only take you so far.
Posts: 8809 | Registered: Aug 2005
| IP: Logged |
Printer-friendly view of this topic
