WINNING! How do you know?

Speaking of winning, I just wanted to let everyone know that my 'BlogOholics Anonymous' post is being featured on the Blog Entourage today.  If you're not a follower of the B.E., I'd highly recommend it.  They feature some great blogs (at least I'm telling myself that today), and offer opportunities for you to gain some exposure for your own blog.  Plus, I'll be monitoring the comments today and I'd love to see some familiar faces!

Here's the link.

What do  you consider to be a writing 'win'?

I also thought I'd take this opportunity to ask you all about your idea of 'winning' in the writing game.  When I started writing, I thought my idea of winning was publication.  That's it.  However, I've noticed that my idea of winning has become increasingly simplistic.

For instance, having a blog post recognized and featured on another popular blog makes me feel like a winner.  Having people say nice things about my blog in the comments, or seeing other people share my thoughts on Twitter also feels like a win.

Looking back, I'd compare my initial idea of the writing win to driving toward a mountain that you intend to climb.  On the way there, your goal is pretty simple: get to the top.  Then, once your standing so close to the base of the mountain that you can no longer see the top, you realize you've got more to worry about than simply standing on the summit.  You're going to have to first find a path through that gnarly looking brush, then you're going to have go around those impossibly large boulders, and so on.

I guess I'm trying to say that the peak no longer seems like the most relevant thing.

As far as 'real' writing goes I'm noticing more and more often that whenever I re-read something I've written, if it brings a smile to my face, I feel like I've accomplished something important.  Sort of like I'm becoming a fan of my own work, so to speak.  (Which hasn't always been the case.)  That's so far away from my original ideas of success it's not even funny.

I know many writers use word counts, etc. as tangible goals.  So what standards of accomplishments do you have?  Have they changed over time?

~EJW~

Writing Group Revelation: We are SO alike

Howdy all!  My apologies for the blog-silence of the last few days, but I've been on 'spring break' both literally and mentally.  While I know it goes against the Blogger's Bible, I think it's good to take step back from time-to-time.  I always seem to come back with fresh ideas and a greater appreciation for the process in general.  At any rate, after loads of yard work and house chores, I'm ready to settle back into my comfy chair and do a little writing.

You might have noticed that I changed the curtains on the blog.  I was way overdue for a remodel, and think it better fits where I intend to take the blog in the coming months. Your thoughts?

I did get up to one major writing related activity last week.  I attended a new local writer's Meetup.  I've been a part of writing groups before (both 'live' and online), so you'd think I'd be acclimated to the process. Nope.  I was as nervous as a long-tail cat in a room full of rocking chairs.  AND I WASN'T EVEN SHARING MY WRITING!

It's a small group format (there were 7 of us), and you critique 3 works by other participants for every 1 work you submit for critique.  I like that method as it prevents 1 person from constantly having their work read/critiqued without offering feedback on others (something I've experienced before).  This being my first meeting, I read the 3 works offered and set off with my typed notes in hand.

As I pushed on the cold glass-faced door of the business office we were using for our meeting, I realized that my palms were covered in a sheen of cold sweat.  I was also gripping my notes tightly enough to cause carpal tunnel.  Quite inexplicably, I found that I was terrified at the prospect of meeting other writers.

Now I'm definitely one to enjoy his 'own' time, but I do have degrees in counseling and psychology and believe that I'm something of a people person when I put my mind to it.  So it wasn't some anti-social fear welling up within me.  I was simply afraid to declare myself as a 'writer' to a group of strangers who had also declared themselves as scribes.  Moreover, I was really afraid they'd think my feedback was offensive, absurd or altogether unprofessional.  After all, I'm no Hemingway.

After exchanging pleasantries with the hostess/group founder I was quickly put at ease.  She mentioned how new the group still was, and that the first 2 meetings had been fairly stiff because people seemed afraid to take their thoughts too far or share too much.  I took my seat reassured that I wasn't the only Nervous Ned.  One-by-one the members shuffled in and exchanged nervous greetings, giving each other shifty glances that back-room arms dealers might recognize.  I smiled at last; these were my kind of people!

WRITERS ARE MASOCHIST WHO FEAR CRITICISM ABOVE ALL ELSE, YET SEEK FEEDBACK LIKE A PLANT YEARNS FOR SUNLIGHT.  

We are a nervous and twitchy breed, full of baseless fears and conspiratorial thoughts.  "Look at the way she's judging me; THAT WOMAN HAS SOMETHING AGAINST COMMAS, I KNOW IT!  If they see an adverb, I'm toast!"  What I realized, watching each person prepare for their feedback as if they were facing down  a firing squad, is that we're all the same.  We are kindred spirits. Like awkward cousins at the family reunion, we're going to find each other and we're going to realize that we are more alike than we ever could have imagined.

When it comes to feedback, we are afraid of the same things and we want to hear the same things.  Above all, we believe that the stories we write are not some kind of entity that exists in isolation outside of us.  They are a part of us--an extension--and any judgement of their worth or quality is somehow a reflection of our own quality or worth.  While some may swim a little better than others, we are all fish in the same neurotic pond, trying desperately to navigate the murky waters of our deepest thoughts and emotions.    
  
I think what truly distinguishes us is our ability to balance those fears and anxieties against the scrutiny of evaluation.  It's our willingness and ability to learn--most often through trial and error--that separates the successful from the unsuccessful.  With that in mind, I think I can go to our next meeting with a little more confidence.

~EJW~

Sex, Drugs & Rock 'n Roll - What writers can learn from our cooler creative cousins

**UPDATE**  Wanted to mention that this post made the current edition (3/2/11) of Ed Bajek's Publishing News Twitter-zeen.  Ed features some really cool #publishing content, and I'd recommend following on Twitter.  You can check it out here.  (I'm under the #publishing section.)

It's Tuesday, the most useless of all days.   (Unless you count leap year ... LAME)  Fortunately, I'm not going to let the dregs of the week stop me from sharing a little of my brain with the helpless masses.  (That's you!)  You see, I'm afraid I've been thinking --A dangerous pastime, I know ...

If you immediately thought of Gaston from Beauty and the Beast, you win the Cool Award!

Writers tend to twist in the wind during the best of times.  Uncertainty, self-doubt and fear aren't negatives when you're a writer; it just means you're starting to take yourself seriously.  After all, if you aren't sharing your work, you're not VERY serious about it, and if you aren't the least bit nervous about letting other people read your writing then you're a machine.  And you know how we feel about machines around here ... THEY'RE GOING TO KILL US ALL!!!

Back on topic:  If you mix in a little industry turmoil and a few changes to 'The Path' to becoming a a so-called legitimate writer--well, let's just say I've seen headless chickens with more grace under fire.

I'm like so many other aspiring writers.   I want a solid footing for my dreams to launch from.  I need to know that I can not only reach the stars, but somehow stay in orbit once I'm up there.  Unfortunately, an already winding path has become mired in deep fog, and clearly seeing the destination is no longer possible.  In fact, just anticipating the next bend in the road has become a challenge.

Where will my chosen profession be in 5 years?  How about 1?  Will I be helped on my way by a professional, or will I do as so many are doing and make my own way?  Will I even have a choice?  Interestingly enough, I'm not even sure this kind of thinking is limited to aspiring writers.  I read so many blogs of longtime authors trying to resurrect their careers and find some sort of foothold in the morphing industry.

As a fan of history, I tend to look to the past when future answers are elusive.  While I'm certain the publishing industry hasn't ever quite faced a change like the current one, some of our artistic kin have.  I think we can look at the music industry, the art business and the movie industry for a few landmarks to indicate where this old trail is taking us.  Today I'll talk about the music business, and in coming posts I'll examine the other two.

MUSIC - The First Frontier ...

I was perusing a recent issue of Sound + Vision magazine (it's a mag for tech geeks and Audio/Video nerds--like me!), and stumbled across this excellent interview with Smashing Pumpkins singer, Billy Corgan.  If you aren't hip to the 90s grunge music scene, you should know 'the Pumpkins' were alternative music icons from the decade.  They had numerous hits and were prone to doing experimental rock albums in a time when it wasn't welcome.

You see, by the end of the 90s record companies were looking for radio-friendly pop (think 'NSync) and wanted bands to focus on creating 'sure thing' music that would inspire teens to purchase Compact Discs.  The myopic thinking was a result of this called the Internet, which was starting to catch on to the point that many people had it in their homes.  Some people were even choosing to consume their music digitally.  It was a turbulent financial time for the industry, and it simply wasn't prudent to take risks.

(Does any of that sound familiar?)

Fast forward 10 or so years.  The Pumpkins didn't make a lot of music in '00's.  Like many bands they lost members, weren't interested in shifting their musical sensibilities with the times and simply got old.  Corgan is now 43.  I guess your perspectives will change some from the age of 25 to 40.  At any rate, Corgan still wanted to make music, and with the social media boom started by MySpace, he saw an opportunity as so many musicians have.  It was a opportunity to go directly to the fans.

When asked about it by S+V interviewer Mike Mettler, Corgan responded, "You build your own world with your own rules.  And people will visit it, believe me."

How profound is that?  You carve out a spot, and do what you do.  The people that want what you're offering will find it, and those that don't won't.  The thing is, in the modern music business this is simply how things are done.  Are there record companies still around?  Sure, and they're still responsible for most of the music you hear on the radio.  But I have to ask: how many serious music listeners get their content from the radio as opposed to 10 or 15 years ago?  I'd wager not many.  Most of the music aficionados I know go directly to their music of choice via iTunes.  They listen to what they want, when they want, with their portable music players.  They rarely set foot in a store to browse for music, and instead rely on word of mouth and iTunes suggestions to find new music.

Don't get me wrong, the music business has definitely had its share of casualties in the transition from mainstream to global-stream (so to speak).  Major record companies have downsized, and obtaining their support as a musician is more competitive than ever.   The adjustment hasn't been easy for the artists, either.  Particularly when it comes to defining success.  It seems a big record deal and a multi-city tour are no longer the industry standard of success.  Or as Corgan states in the interview, "How do I ascertain success in the modern era?  I just feel it.  I have to feel it."   


So here's what I propose.  Let's learn from the music business.  As writers, perhaps we need to re-think our definitions of success.  Maybe success is more fluid than what we've known in the past.  For some, it will undoubtedly be the same; you'll be a success when you land that agent and see your book on a shelf.  For others, it might mean having 1,000 dedicated readers online who lap up every .99 cent offering they upload to Amazon.

While many have decried the Internet as depersonalizing, based upon what Corgan says in his interview, I think just the opposite has happened.  The Web has deeply personalized everything.   Artist no longer need to strive to reach everyone.  They simply need to reach their fans.    

In the end, maybe the path to publication isn't quite so clear, only because there are now several paths to choose from.

-EJW-

When is it time to put your story down?

It's hard to say goodbye to an old friend.  You've been through so much together, after all.

Remember that time when you were so tired you couldn't even think about eating, yet somehow your best friend, Story, kept you up half the night anyway?  Then there was the time you were so sad that somehow even the birds outside had gotten the message and gone silent.  There was Story, offering you an escape that would eventually bring a smile back to your face and a little confidence back to your step.

Things haven't always been great between the two of you.  Like all dynamic relationships, you've had rough patches too.  You've given each other the silent treatment over minor quibbles in plot and character development.  You haven't always had time for one another, going long stretches without any real progress.  Still, at the end of the day you've always had each other.

Sadly, for everything there is a season and it seems that Story is not doing so well.  She doesn't respond to your calls.  She refuses to change no matter how much time and effort you put into the relationship.  Worst of all, it seems that the energy that once ignited the spark between you has gone away leaving a canvas devoid of anything but a flashing cursor.   It's the writing equivalent of a flatline.

Maybe it's time to part ways with Story.  Set her free, and maybe she'll come back to you.  Right?

I've been slogging through my WIP edits for what seems like forever now.  Like most writers, I have good days and bad days.  There are times that I get very excited about the possibilities of my story, and other times that I just want to do bad things to it.  Very. Bad. Things.  In truth, most days I really hate that story.  It sucks my creative energy while I'd rather be working on other projects.  It's a dangling ball of FAIL in my everyday life.  Still, I feel like I've invested too much to let it go.

BTW, it has gone through umpteen critiques, etc. so it isn't for lack of outside perspective that I'm stymied.

I've been planning on doing a post on this for a few days, but hadn't really come up with any real answers.  Maybe there is a point you should give up on your story and move on?  Maybe you should NEVER GIVE UP!  (It is Pearl Harbor Day, after all.)  I've seen both types of advice from writers and agents of all kinds.

Well, sometimes when you ask you receive.  Super Lit Agent Rachelle Gardner had an awesome post on just this very topic today!  I read it.  It hit home to the point that I thought I had to share it with the rest of you.  The subject of her post is what to do when you hate your book, and her advice is simple:  It's normal, just keep going.  Here's the link.  I'm taping it to the wall above my writing desk.

So what say you, readers great and small?  Have you ever hated a story?  Have you ever given up on a story?  Good results?  Bad results?

-EJW-
                                                    

How do you rate success?

Howdy all!  Ever have those days when you wished that life had a skip ahead button like your favorite MP3 player?  Yeah, I'm having one of those.  Sadly, there isn't anything specifically bad.  Just a BLAH! kind of day, if you follow me.

To be honest, I've not really been feeling the best about my writing goals and such as of late, and I think that has something to do with it.  I've been 'working' at this writing stuff for awhile--not forever, but long enough to know that I've attempted something.  And lately, I'm not really feeling any closer to what I set out to accomplish a few years ago.

As a goal oriented person I don't mind telling you that kind of freaking drives me crazy.

I have family and friends that know this is what I dream of doing, and that it's what I squirrel away hours of my life working at.  I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel at least a little pressure from that.  That's part of the reason I made it known in the first place.  To create pressure.  To create urgency.  After all, we've all known those people who write and no one even knows it, and they never work at it because they don't REALLY have anything at stake.  Right?  Still, it's a little deflating when they ask me when I'll have something in print that they can read.

I take that as code for: What exactly have you been doing with your time?

Anywho, I'm not writing this as a boohoo, or a "I'm giving up".  I've got perspective.  This isn't a race, it's a marathon. etc., etc., etc.  :0)  I've got tough skin.  I'll read something inspiring in the form of an old favorite book, or perhaps one of your blog posts *wink* *nudge*, and I'll be right back on the crazy train of writerly aspirations.  However, it has got me to thinking about my vision of success.  Maybe that's what is out of whack.

Maybe I'm so focused on what I THINK writing success means to me that it has taken some of the joy out of it all.

So I ask you, readers great and small, what are your terms for writerly success?  Does it ever run away from you?  If so, how do you reign it in?  How do you get your mind off of the big picture and back on the page?

-EJW-