Monday, January 3, 2011

New Year's Resolutions

Do you make New Year’s resolutions?

Although I have no objection to making and trying to attain goals, I’ve often held New Year’s resolutions in distain. As a twenty-year member of a gym, every January I see well-meaning people crowd the facilities enthusiastically trying to lose weight and to increase their fitness. When I see those people, I try to emit positive vibes supporting their resolve. But I also know that unless they change their mental/emotional perspective, not just adding short-term activities, they are doomed to failure. Few do and, by March, the crowds are gone, their New Year’s resolutions either forgotten or given up as unreachable, and I and my motley crew are again left in peace to workout.

If I do make resolutions, I do so in September, which to me marks the start of a new year more than January 1, because it marks the start of a new school year. It also is the start of a new season. The crisp autumn air attests to newness like a loaf of bread eaten right from the oven. January seems more a continuation of the season celebrated during Christmas, only those same attributes we so relished in December become less admirable in January. The snow is no longer a cozy backdrop. Winter skies become ominous rather than exciting. Icicles threaten to stab us instead of looking like frost lacing our cottages in finery. January may usher in a new year, but it doesn’t feel new, and it looks like old slush.

This year, I was too busy during September to reflect and formulate new goals. So now, I ponder. Out of those things I can control, what do I need to institute, change, or subtract from my life? Physically, I’m fine. Writing keeps my brain in shape, so mentally I feel fit. But spiritually—now there’s the rub--I’m not at peace with my writing, as usual. The dilemma is always the same. I don’t have enough publishing credits. Will what I write get published? Will an agent like my novel? Is writing an effort in futility? Why do I blog if I’ll never get published? Am I wasting my time?

Like those people at the gym in January, unless I change my mental and emotional orientation, I’m doomed to write in frustration and, possibly, fail. Adding more shorts to my publishing repertoire to build an impressive list of publishing credits may help my career, but writing shorts distracts me from my WIP. I’m writing to become a novelist. Writing shorts is an entirely different art form, and although I like writing and learning both forms, my focus must aim on my novel, which is my priority.

Membership in writing organizations is necessary and helpful. Too often, though, those organizations focus on promotion and publishing, resulting in members putting their proverbial carts before the horse, or in this case, driving without a vehicle. I am guilty. Although I’ve written two novels, neither has resulted in my obtaining an agent or contracts. I must focus on my craft, and that is my resolution.

Although I’ll continue to blog and conduct interviews here on WWK, I’ll respond to email less. I’ll write more, break through to the next level, and tell myself what I’ve always known about music and apply it to
writing. It’s the song, not the singer. It’s the book, not the writer. Promoting yourself is all well and good, but the book promoting itself is far better.

11 comments:

  1. "Promoting yourself is all well and good, but the book promoting itself is far better."

    Amen. Thanks for a thoughtful post that reminds me what's important.

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  2. There are a lot of distractions on the Internet; classes to take, issues to discuss, opportunities to promote. But what about your work? I love the organizations in which I participate, but also notice that the most successfully published authors on those lists rarely post. Thanks, towriteistowrite-I think by your handle you may "get it" too.

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  3. I wanted to tell a story and then became involved in a fictional world with characters I barely knew--that's how I started. Entering that world and searching for the unknown, that is what absorbs me.

    Promotion, keeping up to date with new books, all that is what I need to do if I want to be a successful writer. Whatever I've done whether at work or in relationships, there are always dues to pay. I need to keep the big picture in mind and not go chasing after details.

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  4. We've gone about this business from the opposite direction, Pauline. But now you're doing the promotional thing, and I need to get back to the basics.

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  5. That's a wonderful gym analogy, EB! Making resolutions off-season makes a lot of sense.

    It took me ten LONG years of constant trying to get a mystery novel accepted for publication. Just to let you know, it takes awhile! And you HAVE to keep believing in yourself. The support of the writing community is one of the most vital helps, I think.

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  6. Thanks for your encouragement Kaye. I know it takes a long time, which is even more reason to focus on writing than on promotion. So-off to work I must go.

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  7. You and I have talked about this, Elaine. I've always been where you are now. Writing the novel. I've never thought what I had to say would bring people to a blog, and the idea of stressing what to say even on a weekly basis almost paralyzes me. Besides, others say it far better than I could. So I write words. Every day. Many hours a day. Focus is the important thing, and how can you focus on writing when you're always promoting? Promoting what? I'm of the "Write the best damn book you can write" school, and promote it when you know it will be published. I'm sure people will disagree with me, and maybe they're right. I'm keeping a keen eye on the promoters to see what happens. Will they publish, and if they do, will all their pre-promotion help? It's a chicken/egg thing, and I never figured that out either.

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  8. It may have been your honesty that prompted this blog. I think you're right. Blogging is addictive.

    You're sure you don't want to try it? ("Sorry," said the lion to the lamb.) Just guest blog for us sometime. Gosh darn it!

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  9. I will, when I have something to say that others might want to hear. And thanks. If our conversation inspired this terrific blog post, even better.

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