Lies.
We might not like to admit it, but we’re all guilty of occasionally (or perhaps even frequently) lying to others and ourselves.
It could be withholding complete truth, glossing over little details, exaggerating, or simply being in denial. Whatever the case, there are plenty of times in life when we’re not honest with ourselves.
For some reason, we writers tend to be very good at telling ourselves lies.
Are you guilty of convincing yourself of these misconceptions and half-truths?
1. Tomorrow I’ll make up for the writing I missed today.
If you took part in NaNoWriMo, I’d be willing to bet you’ve recently told yourself this lie.
There was probably at least one day, if not more, where you set a quota of words to write. But, instead of writing them, something came up. Something got in your way. Instead of powering ahead and meeting your goal, you told yourself a little fib: “I’ll just make up for it tomorrow.”
And, in all fairness, perhaps you did make up for it the next day. The first time.
At some point, doubling up got too hard. You simply couldn’t do it anymore. So you gave up.
2. There are so many badly written books out there, mine is bound to get published.
Are you seriously out to write a badly written book?
Poor writing is in the eye of the beholder. If thousands of people are willing to buy a book (for whatever reason), then it’s still publishable. Remember: publishing is a business, not an awards ceremony for those who write well.
If you want to get published, you have to write something people will want to read.
3. I need to come up with a completely original idea for my book.
Sorry to tell you, but there are very few (if any) completely original ideas. In fact, if you’re writing about something that’s never been covered before, chances are good no one will want to read it.
Genres are based on what’s worked in the past. Literary books are based on character development. Mysteries are based on … well … mystery. Romances, on love. There are shared elements in these genres. None of their stories are completely original.
So quit trying to tell yourself you’ve got to come up with something no one’s seen before. It simply won’t happen, and it isn’t really meant to.
4. Good writing can’t be taught.
Why not?
Sure, it might be difficult to take someone with zero writing skills and turn them into the next Shakespeare, but the average person with some grasp of language can develop leaps and bounds through education.
This is because writing is not only art, but craft. There are skills involved. Research. Study. Those who are willing to put in the time and effort will most certainly improve their writing ability exponentially.
From average to good. From good to great.
5. Writing a book is my ticket to fame.
Go to your local library and search the shelves. I’d be willing to bet that the majority of books you’ll find will be completely unheard of–and not just by you.
Publishing a book is a tremendous accomplishment, but it won’t make you famous, in and of itself. In fact, there are even prolific authors you’ve never heard of.
If you’re writing for fame, you’ll be sadly disappointed.
6. I’ll never get published because I don’t have any contacts in the industry.
Having connections in the writing and publishing industry is only an advantage if you’re a good writer, and you’ve produced good writing.
You might have a full manuscript ready and polished, just waiting for the right set of eyes. But unless that manuscript is up to par with what those insiders are looking for, you don’t stand a chance.
You’re better off knowing no one and, instead, focusing all that energy into your writing.
7. I’ll start my book tomorrow.
I’m a firm believer that you shouldn’t start writing something until you have mentally composted your ideas for a good amount of time, and you’ve decided whether they are viable.
That said, there’s a difference between outlining and spending time letting your ideas evolve, and simply putting off until tomorrow what you should be starting today.
Just remember, if you never start the book, you’ll never finish it. If you never finish it, you’ll never publish it. Simple as that.
Time to Get Honest
Which of these lies is holding you back from moving forward with your writing?
Instead, why not try swapping them for some affirmative thoughts?
Why not:
- Set yourself up with a sensible writing schedule–one with which you’re more likely to succeed
- Forget about whatever ‘trash’ gets published and think about how you’re going to make your book stand out in a crowd
- Stop trying for completely original, and go for completely readable
- Remember you can learn to write better, and take steps to ensure it
- Write because you love doing it
- Start your book. Now.
A great post. Couldn't agree more with your "Why not" list.
"1. Tomorrow I’ll make up for the writing I missed today." That's definitely the one I keep telling myself. Yikes, looks like I can't keep it up anymore :p
Suzannah, how did you know? I've been saying all of these things to myself for quite some time! Thanks for exposing me! I'm quite inspired now.
@Heather: Thank you!
@Brandon: Didn't you know I have ESP? 🙂
@Amber: Nope, you're busted 🙂
@Miche: You're quite welcome. And thank you for reading!
Suzannah, thanks for blowing the door off of the lies we tell ourselves and a lot of the misconceptions we believe about writing. Love your blog! 🙂
Cheers,
Miche 🙂
Any "Rules" for writing have counterexamples. You can ignore almost everything in this article.
1. Tomorrow I’ll make up for the writing I missed today.
If daily quotas don't work for you, use weekly quotas. If that's too long, make one quota for writing in the morning, one for when you get home from the day job, and one for when you go to bed.
Find a system that works for you.
2. There are so many badly written books out there, mine is bound to get published.
The author is often a terrible judge of the quality of his work… or of the quality of anyone else's. Some books that are "badly written" by scholarly standards get huge sales because they happen to resonate with folks. Just because you think your writing sucks doesn't mean it is. In fact, if you think it sucks, it might be because you CARE about the quality of the writing, and therefore it's actually much better than you think it is.
Show your work to people who know good books, like agents and editors, and let them judge–and not just one of them, either. Send it to lots of people.
3. I need to come up with a completely original idea for my book.
Chances are good, whatever you think up as an "idea" for a book has been done before. But ideas are easy. What you DO have to come up with is an original execution of that idea. For that reason, you need to be at least passingly familiar with what's out there, so that you know whether your work is going to be judged as "too derivative" by market standards.
On the other hand, as long as you're not actually plagiarizing, there's a lot of merit to the idea of serving the "More like this, please" market.
4. Good writing can’t be taught.
Good writing can't be taught, but it can be learned. What's important is focused study. What is attractive about popular books? How can you bring that quality to your work?
5. Writing a book is my ticket to fame.
You may not get world-famous, but there's a special thrill to having even a few thousand people who say, "Hey, man, I love your work." That's not the kind of fame most folks encounter, and when you get it, you will want more.
6. I’ll never get published because I don’t have any contacts in the industry.
It's never too early to network. The days when a writer can sit alone in his writer's garret, sending off hopeful manuscripts without ever interacting with anyone but his agent are gone. Plan to spend at least a little time getting to know people in the industry, even if they're other hopefuls like you. A rising tide floats all boats, and if you're in the right pond that can be you.
7. I’ll start my book tomorrow.
If you don't feel like you're ready to write THE book, then don't write it. Write it when it's screaming to come out and you'll go mad if you don't. In the meantime, write something else.
Chances are good, the one you're actually working on will be what eventually starts screaming to get out, anyways.
Nobilis,
I agree with you. There are always different perspectives on things in writing, so thanks for sharing your thoughts. I like what you say about networking in #6. It's great to meet other writers or professionals and have a chance to learn from them. Thanks!
Excellent posting, Suzannah!! It’s so true that many people write for the wrong reasons: fame, riches, etc. I think the key behind a great book is whether people are going to want to read it, as you say.
For me, it’s also about passion. Writing for fame alone is no reason to write. Great writers have a passion for what they do and therefore they try to do it as well as they can.
The publishing industry is fickle. All one can do is try one’s best to produce a marketable idea.
.-= Read Beth L. Gainer´s last article ..Advocacy When Sick, Part II: Quality Control =-.
Beth,
Thank you! It’s great that you have a real passion for writing. Sure, I think we all have daydreams about being famous, but that has to be tempered with more realistic thoughts.
Thank you for telling the truth about the lies!