The other day Michael mentioned goals we set for ourselves as writers, which set me thinking about goals, about what writers actually want from their writing - more to the point, what I want from my writing.
All of the writing magazines create this fantasy world of fame and fortune that writers swallow whole and actually seem disappointed when the world doesn't live up to their writing "bibles". I know, I've been there. It took a long time for me to realize that I couldn't write myself into a million dollar tax bracket. Sure, there are quite a few writers who have achieved that giddy height, but they're just a small percentage of the writers who are out there pounding on keyboards. What I did learn was that I could get better at my craft by writing. That each story I wrote needed to be better than the last one otherwise I was just writing myself into a rut. So that became my new writing goal, to always make the next story the best one I'd ever written. It didn't matter if I was writing for publication or a flash challenge, the story had to be the best I could do.
As a writer I can set all kinds of goals but unless I actually put my butt in the chair and put in the hours and the effort I'll never come close to any of them. But I've also come to realize that putting in all that time and work doesn't guarantee that I'll score the winning touchdown. Luck plays a major factor in being a successful writer. Getting my story in the right place at the right time is just as important as writing the best that I can. So my second goal - get the stories out the door. Get them in the hands of editors and readers. A story sitting a drawer is of no use to anyone.
So, my conclusions after all this heavy thinking? As a writer, there are basically two goals you have to chase. Write the best story you can and submit it. Push yourself by reaching for the better markets, either by pay scale or prestige, depending on where you've placed your own personal goal posts. If you fail, at least you'll know that you tried, but you can't truly be considered a failure if you've stayed the course and kept your stories in play.
7 comments:
I'm going to read this post at my next writers group.
Good advice. Sticking to goals is extremely hard for me. I make a goal list on an index card for yearly goals. And I cross them off as I do them.
Setting long range goals is a good thing to work toward, Shirley, but in the end the only control a writer has is over his writing and where he submits.
I hope they enjoy it, Naomi!
It's the overall arc of writing that's beginning to do me in. I write stories, they sometimes get published on zines and maybe a few people read it. (It was the same with print journals). Sometimes it seems like I am mostly writing to entertain myself. And spending 5 hours or more most days doing that seems pretty self-indulgent. Do you ever feel like this?
Yeah, especially when my husband asks how the little "hobby" is doing and when am I going to make him a rich man :-) Some days comments like that feel like a sledge hammer coming down on my hands and I want to chuck the whole writing thing.
Mostly, I do write for myself, because if a story doesn't entertain me, how will it ever appeal to readers? Plus you have all the writing experts telling you that your day will come if you just keep at it. But after a while, it seems like its never going to happen and why bother. So writing to please yourself? It keeps you sane in this crazy business.
And being self-indulgent with a writing habit beats those self-indulgent hot fudge sundaes...almost :)
Great advice, Sandra.
Patti, I feel that way all the time.
Are we married to the same man?
Chris-if I were 20 years younger, I would feel very different.
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