25 Mantras on Writing and Professionalism

As a follow-up to my previous post about “bad news,” I decided to write my thoughts on what I feel it means to be a professional writer. You may disagree with me, and that’s okay. I firmly believe that your path is not the same as mine. Take what you want and leave the rest.

    1. Any advice, news, tools, or people that distract you from getting words down on the page is not valuable to you as a writer, regardless of how positive or uplifting you feel afterward.
    2. Having a writer’s platform is meaningless if you don’t have any readers, because your brand’s awareness does not always equate to sales.
    3. Avoid any bandwagon that declares publishers or retailers are bad or evil.
    4. Know your own worth but be realistic about it.
    5. Learn the tools, but don’t make your platform your primary focus if you have nothing to sell.
    6. Don’t quit your day job. Don’t quit your day job. Don’t quit your day job.
    7. If you submit a story, pitch or job application, don’t wait to hear back before starting on the next one.
    8. Respect and support other writers that are more experienced that you are.
    9. Writing is NOT a competition. What (or who) one reader or employer likes is going to be very different from someone else. Sometimes, you aren’t a good fit for the job. Sometimes, an employer doesn’t want to re-train a new writer to work with them. There’s a lot of slots to fill; find the ones that work for you and keep looking.
    10. Understand that some people will be happy for your success and some people won’t. Learn to tell the difference and distance yourself from those who are jealous or are willing to sabotage you.
    11. Don’t talk shit or make boasts you can’t back up. You never know how that will come back and haunt you — until it does.
    12. Remember that there are misconceptions about writers and, in some cases, there is nothing you can do about it.
    13. Know that success is relative. One writer’s accomplishments are not your successes, so quit worrying about what someone else is doing. Their “greatness” doesn’t mean you’re a failure.
    14. It’s okay to have a bad day! Experience that bad day, then get over it and get back to work.
    15. If you are a writer, be flexible but write what you’re interested in and work for the people you have a good relationship with. Do not become a slave to your job.
    16. If you can’t afford to be a full-time writer, explore your options and find a part-time job or something else to do. Being a poor artist isn’t virtuous or ideal — it sucks.
    17. Always keep an eye out for new jobs or opportunities and network, network, network.
    18. Don’t be afraid to say “No” when you need to.
    19. Resign yourself to the fact that you may never be as popular or wealthy as Steven King. The, focus on the readers that you DO have.
    20. Learn how to resolve interpersonal conflicts and identify people who can’t. If you wind up on the receiving end of something like this and your assignment/job/project is affected, know that even though it might feel like a personal attack, it’s more of a reflection on the person who can’t resolve the conflict.
    21. Get it in writing.
    22. Realize that you are not a machine. Some days you’ll write faster than others.
    23. Recognize that everyone functions differently and cultural nuances affect not only how people work, but how they respond to people and what they do at work, too. If someone doesn’t get back to you right away, it’s not because they’re ignoring you.
    24. Understand that your rejection letters may not have anything to do with the quality of your work or “you” as a person. Don’t take them personally.
    25. Keep up-to-date on technology and don’t be afraid to learn new things that make you more marketable.
December 2, 2010
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Faith, Writing and a Horror Author’s Intent Part III

Last week, I talked about how Maurice Broaddus and I were discussing faith in writing. Maurice picked up the thread in the second part of our series. You can read Faith, Writing and a Horror Author’s Intent Part II on his website.

In part three, I started off by asking Maurice about his writing platform.

While spirituality/religion isn’t part of my platform, it’s a part of yours. Why did you decide to go that route?

MAURICE: Because that’s a fundamental part of whom I am. I could no more shy away from faith than I could shy away from being black. So for me, it wasn’t so much a market decision as much as an artistic voice one. There are some projects where faith is explicitly explored (like Orgy of Souls co-written with Wrath James White) and some where faith plays a minimum role (like King Maker). But both works feature a nearly all black cast, which few even notice or make a point of, I’m glad to say.

Sometimes though, faith is just a part of a character. In my story Pimp My Airship, a steampunk story, I have a character who is a part of that world’s version of the nation of Islam. It was just part of who that character was (and, frt., one of my favorite characters I’ve ever written: (120 Degrees of) Knowledge Allah). So sometimes it’s a matter of which I am and other times it’s a matter of who the characters are.

Are there particular areas or religion/spirituality that you would feel uncomfortable writing?

MLV: I don’t know if its comfort level for me so much as it is interest. I have no interest in sharing my views on religion or spirituality. Not my goal as a storyteller. If I did write about religion as part of the plot, I’d still keep it in the background or make it part of the interpersonal character conflict. It would have to be customized to the setting or the characters. I guess that’s where my real comfort level lies. Typically, when I do write about religion or spirituality, it’s on an individual character level than a global part of the plot, even with the presence of religious-inspired monsters like demons. In that way, that is part of my personality, since I believe that a person’s spirituality is unique.

Also, in order for me to write about a religion I’m not familiar with, I’d treat it like any other topic and research it before I’d jump in.

Maurice, how integral to a plot is your views on faith?

If you’re interested in reading more about what Maurice and I have to say, watch for the last post in this series at MauriceBroaddus.com.

November 1, 2010
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Have a Nice Internet Day! Wed 10-27-2010

From kids committing suicide to nasty political ads and general snarkiness, the internet can be pretty negative some days. That’s why, I’m calling for a moratorium on nastiness for one day. I don’t care if you’re always nice to people online or not. This idea isn’t just about “you.” After all, every writer knows that all words have power. Even if they’re not your words. If they are? Then knock it off. For one day.

The idea is simple: Fight back with smiley faces. That’s right. Smiley faces. For every crappy comment, flippant retort and mean accusation, besiege others with a grin. If you’re following along on Twitter, the hashtag will be #haveaniceinternet.

Let’s turn the internet YELLOW. The smiley face in this post is from this link on Stock.xchng and is okay for public use.

October 26, 2010
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The One Thing That Cripples Writers Is…

…fear.

Over the years, I’ve talked to many people to hear their stories and find out what makes them tick. The people closest to me know that, in many ways, I’m the type of writer that studies human nature. The one thing that most writers have in common is this: fear.

  • “I’m not good enough to submit my story to a magazine.”
  • “Even though I tell people I’m working on a novel, I’m going to talk about writing or grab all the writing advice that’s out there. Maybe then it’ll put my fears to rest.”
  • “I can’t say what I think because I’m afraid my readers will come after me.”
  • “I will defend my work to a bad reviewer because deep down inside, I’m worried that they’re right.”
  • “I’m going to stop writing until I hear back from this agent.”
  • “I will whine to a proofreader for editing my work because I’m worried they’ll think I’m a crappy writer.”
  • “I’m afraid that people won’t like my work.”
  • “I just submitted a novel and I’m going to wait to hear what people think before I write anything else.”
  • “I can’t write unless I have the right software.”
  • “I won’t edit because I don’t know how and I’m afraid to admit it.”
  • “I’m going to communicate poorly with an editor because I don’t trust them to improve my writing.”
  • “I’m worried that my stories won’t be as good as my favorite author’s.”
  • “I’m going to keep submitting my novel to an agent even though I’ve gotten the same feedback from multiple people because I’ve convinced myself that they’re wrong. I’m scared that they’re right.”
  • “I’m scared that my story won’t be unique enough. So, what’s the point of writing it?”
  • “I feel like if my story gets rejected, it’s an editor’s way of saying that I’m not good enough as a person.”
  • “I have an author that feels like he needs to compete with whatever I’m doing. He’s intimidating me.”
  • “I’m going to keep editing my short story/novel/novella because I’m afraid that even after the twentieth pass, it’s still not good enough.
  • “I’m concerned that if I write a bad story, it means that I’m a terrible writer.”
  • “I’m afraid of being successful and don’t know how to deal with people.”

    • There are hundreds of ways that fear manifests in a writer’s life. Hundreds. Some of us might stop writing altogether. Others might hang out at conventions with authors or get caught up in reviewing books. Being around other writers doesn’t help you write.

    So, what does?

    Well, that’s different for everyone. Me? I have quite a few things that I do to keep me motivated and help me focus on my writing. I use a timer. I set goals. I visualize. I do something bold. I paint. I write poetry. I review old stories and commit them to my morgue.

    The one thing, though, that I never want to do — ever again — is stop writing. I did, because I threw everything into a full-time career and it didn’t pan out. Yes, writing fiction that may or may not pay is something that all writers have to balance with their paying gigs, but really? Really? I know several successful authors that deal with a lot more than I do. Five kids. Cancer. Bankruptcy. Unemployment. Rabid fans. And that’s just to name a few.

    In the end, while our fear may manifest in different ways, the only way to move past it is to get your butt back in that chair and keep writing.

    So stop being a chicken. Seriously. Be bold. Be Brave. Just write. Write, submit, edit and then do it all over again. What? You want to be a writer, don’t you?

    October 21, 2010
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    Semantics, Word Choice and Personality

    Lately, I’ve been obsessing about semantics, how we choose our words, and what effect a personality type has on both. Take self-promotion just as an example. To tell an introvert to get out there and “Sell yourself!” might make someone feel uncomfortable. Turn that around for a second and say something like, “Help someone know more about you.” Same thing. Different words.

    No, this idea isn’t new. It’s a different take on the old adage, “Doesn’t matter what you say, just how you say it.” There’s two sides to the application of this powerful idea. There’s the writing side, where we have to make decisions about the words we use. There’s also the semantic side, where we interpret meanings of words that may illicit a response or a reaction.

    For one example, consider the dreaded “critique.” I don’t know one writer who doesn’t love to write. I do know, however, a lot of writers who have no idea how to critique or receive criticism — especially when it’s a rough draft. If you’ve experienced this, you know what I’m talking about. They nitpick the placement of a comma. They argue with you about how you feel when you read your story. They write one draft and think it’s finished. Here, too, semantics and word choice come into play. There’s a huge difference between saying, “I did not care for this story, but someone else might.” versus “This story sucked.” Sure, different people critique poorly for different reasons; they’re insecure about their own work, they’re envious, they’re inexperienced, etc. It may be hard, but I find you have to balance “what was said” with “what they meant.” In most cases, I find the reason why someone gives you a bad critique is because they don’t understand the difference between a critique and a review. Of course, you have to mull over comments in a way that doesn’t drive you insane. After all, you have to have confidence in your work or you wouldn’t write.

    A lot of writers are introverts by nature; I’m guessing this affects how we react emotionally to words and what we write. I feel that it’s tough to be an introvert simply because there are so many words associated with this personality type that have negative connotations. We’re loners. Outcasts. Freaks. If you’re a writer trying to pursue a professional path, though, we’re often forced to be both. (I am an introvert by nature and an extrovert when I have to be.) Sure, my writing changes depending upon what mood I’m in. What’s fascinating to me, though, is experiencing this simple idea from the reader’s viewpoint.

    By being able to understand what their personality type might be, our writing functions as an emotional catalyst for our readers. Yes, marketers do this all the time, but this idea doesn’t just apply to ad copy or non-fiction. Often, the most popular stories aren’t the ones that are written the greatest; they’re the ones that can reach a reader on an emotional level. Maybe, for the rest of us to do the same thing, we just have to find the right words to do it. Maybe, for us to do that, we have to ask ourselves what touches us.

    October 18, 2010
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