Magick and Lipstick Blog

Hi, this was writen quite a while ago by my old friend Peter E. Abresch--- I thought it was interesting enough to post.

There is law, that which is, and folklore, that which we only
believe, just as there are naysayers, those who would discourage us
simply because we don't fit their folklore image of a writer, and
reality, the very real odds a writer faces in seeking fulfillment in
this the most difficult of arts. We must ignore the former, but be
aware of the latter if we hope to turn our sow's ear into a silk purse,
to use a cliche. (If you'd like a deeper discussion of writing as an
art, see http://www.sidewalkbooks.com/)

This is the subject of BookMarc #19
Naysayers and Reality.

First the folklore.

Agent Aaron Priest has said everyone thinks they can write a book.
Everyone. And yet, in a bit of a paradox, when we first embark on our
writing journey, we will find many who will ridicule what we are doing.
The reason is most people can't conceive of actually knowing someone who
has a written novel. When they are poo-pooing us--like that neat bit of
terminology--what they are really poo pooing is their own lack of
imagination. And even after getting a book published, we'll find that
people will still look at it with suspicion. Like, it's not a real
book, right? So the answer here is to be judicious in who we tell about
stringing words together.

Be judicious also in who we ask to evaluate our work. Some will
become instant critics and hate it all, others will love everything
because we did it. Neither are of any help. But a good critique group,
other writers who point out both pluses and minuses and offer
constructive suggestions, are worth their weight in gold. Always thank
them, and never argue. Never. If we speak up and say, "what I was
trying to say here was...," then what we need to go back and say what we
were trying to say. On the other hand, a critique is just another view
of our work. We should seriously consider it, try it on and see how it
fits, but in the end, it's our work. The final judgement must be ours.
But don't reject it simply because it means more work.

You must also consider me as a naysayer. BookMarc. As we move
along on this journey I'll be saying things about dramatize rather than
inform, about the difficulty of getting omniscient POV right, about
mixing first and third person together, but these things are done all
the time. I'm just trying to give you my best cut. If you believe in
what you are doing, ignore me. At your own peril, of course--ha ha. In
the end, anything done well and with finesse, and perhaps a bit of luck,
works. Allow me to repeat this one more time to drive it home.
Anything done well and with finesse, and perhaps a bit of luck, works.

That brings us to the reality.

Whether you believe it or not, folks, fiction writing is an art.
And like any art, painting, sculpture, pottery, and drama to name a few,
the pay for the journeyman is small and in some cases non-existent.

For each Hollywood star there are a zillion actors appearing on
small stages, in little theater, as extras, or as actor/ticket sellers.
For each person on the NYT best seller list there are a thousands of
midlist authors scraping by, and not scraping by. And for each of these
guys, there are thousands of pre-published and maybe
never-to-be-published authors learning their craft.

Fiction writing is the most difficult art in which to find
fulfillment. An artist can hang a painting on the wall, whether it's
good or not. A musician can play Mozart on a street corner. But the
only venue open for the fiction writer is to be published. And to do
that, he/she has to complete against all the other fiction writers in
the country, and perhaps the world. Those who teach writing, especially
those looking for students, often say that good writing will always win
out it the end. I don't want to discourage anyone, but I don't believe
it. There will always be terrific books that a publishing house won't
take a chance on because it's been done before, or because it's never
been done before. To fight against these odds takes real passion and
the desire to hone our craft until it is a work of art. I think I
mentioned a quote from Steve Martin. When asked how to succeed in show
biz, he said, "Be so good they can not ignore you." The same applies to
writing.

So, if you want to make money, IMHO, sell cumquats, or write
non-fiction, it sells easier and has a longer shelf life.

But if you want to write fiction, sit down with me in splendid
isolation, spin words into worlds, and in those rare moments when a
phrase or a sentence slips out of the ether so grand we have wonder
where it came from, and it's a keeper, enjoy the moment, for it's like
being touched by God.

It seems fitting here to repeat Hemingway's quote, "We are all
apprentices in a craft where no one ever becomes a master."

BTW, is you know of a writer off list who would like these
BookMarcs, have them email me with Subscribe BookMarc And I'll add them
to the list.

Also if you'd like to check out some other discussions and the
table of contents of upcoming BookMarcs, click on the BookMarc a couple
of times at: http://www.easyreadingwriting.com

And remember: It's always better to light a candle in your mind by
reading Easy Reading Writing than to curse the darkness of rejections.
To check out the first two chapters with an easy order link to B&N,
simply click on: http://www.elderhostelmysteries.com/ERW002

Peter E. Abresch - BookMarc© February 13, 1998.
Author of The Faltese Malcom, Capitol Coven, If They Ask for a Hand at:
http://www.sidewalkbooks.com and the James P. Dandy Elderhostel
mysteries at:
http://www.elderhostelmysteries.com