This week I read a brilliant article in the
Huffington Post by Michelle Combs,
titled “What Not to Wear After Age 50: The Final Say”. The article basically
dismissed all those idiots who think they have a right to tell us how to look
and what to wear once we’ve reached that age. Combs’ response was to say that
the only things we shouldn’t wear are shame and regret, rose-colored glasses,
too many hats, etc. I loved the piece and recommend it to every woman!
As someone who’s been writing and
publishing fiction for 35 years, I have my own take on what not to wear from a
writer’s perspective. First, I totally agree with Combs when she says take off
the rose-colored glasses. Holy cow, I can’t tell you how many writers I’ve come
across who are deeply disappointed or downright angry that their books aren’t
making any money. I’ve actually seen writers on Twitter literally beg readers to
buy their book. Come on, people. Writing is not a get-rich-quick-scheme. The
chances of making it big are remote at best, which brings me to my second
point.
Combs’ statement about wearing too many
hats also applies to writers. If you have a family, a day job, volunteer
somewhere, and are working on six different writing projects, ask yourself if
quality or quantity is better. Authors are placing so much pressure on
themselves to publish frequently that quality is suffering. Step back and take
stock.
Third, stop comparing yourself with others.
Every writer’s journey is different. We bring our unique experience and perspective
to the table, then use whatever time, energy, skill, talent, and tenacity we
have. Keeping up with the Jones’s has always been a no-win situation.
Fourth, don’t be afraid to try something
new. This doesn’t just mean writing in a new genre, but perhaps taking a
course, attending a conference, joining a critique group, or simply taking good
advice from a writer who’s been there. It doesn’t hurt writers to step out of
their comfort zones now and then. The writing experience is deeply connected to
personal growth.
Having said that, I want to say finally,
don’t be afraid to make mistakes. You can gather all of the thoughtful,
informative info in the world on marketing, publishing, and writing, and I’m
betting that your efforts still won’t be perfect. Mistakes happen. Deal with
it. Just to your best to avoid the ones you could have avoided with a little
more research and effort.
There are many more tips I’ve learned over
the years, but these will get you started. And if you have any to share, please
do so!
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