Tuesday, September 8, 2009

The Hokey Pokey

Warning: This is a long post. It's self-indulgent. Run (click away) while you can.

THE HOKEY: aka why I AM cut out to be a writer:

My Imagination
I had one heck of an imagination as a kid. Back then, my parents called it lying, and punished me for it…a lot. However, if I just put a disclaimer that “this is fiction” before my tall tales, it becomes a story instead of a lie. And nobody punishes me (except myself when I think it’s not good.)

My People Watching Skills
…are Olympic league status. If they’d make people watching an Olympic sport, I’d win a gold medal. Because of my PW skills, I notice stuff. Then I make that stuff part of my characters' personalities. I create stories from the stupid, quirky, and fascinating things people do.

My Grammar
…ain’t that bad. I’m no English professor, but I’m pretty sure I grasp the general concept and rules behind sentence structure. I could definitely improve my skills. There is always room for improvement. Or at least that’s what the cliché Gods tell me.

My Common Sense
I could never be one of those aspiring authors that gets a rejection letter and writes the agent back telling them they don’t know what they’re missing out on. I would never be so stubborn as to think my MS is perfect and not take suggestions or critique on how to make it stronger. What’s that cliché Gods? Oh yes, it is worth repeating; there is always room for improvement. Which brings me to…

My Humility
I know I’m no Stephen King. I know I haven’t written the next Harry Potter. I know that even if my book ever does get published, some people will hate it. BUT, some people might love it. And through all the hokey and pokey, that’s what it’s all about.

Now with all that being said,

THE POKEY: aka why I AM NOT cut out to be a writer.

My Imagination
Do I really have anything to say that hasn’t been said 100 times before in every way possible? My imagination is good, but can it compete with the other millions of writers out there?

My People Watching Skills
I watch and read the stories and struggles of all the writers around me. I met people at a writers conference that have been writing for decades without ever being published. I’ve heard the horror stories. I’ve read the statistics. I’ve seen with my own eyes that it’s next to impossible.

My Grammar
…ain’t that good. My writing is nowhere near perfect. A friend told me “It doesn’t have to be perfect. That’s what editors are for!” But she’s wrong. The writing has to be phenomenal--especially in this market. Use too many adverbs, say “was” too much, misuse commas and colons and you’ve signed your own form rejection letter. Fact is, there’s just too much talent out there, and many aspiring writer’s DO have perfect manuscripts.

My Common Sense
Fewer deals are being made. Agents are taking on fewer clients. Due to the recession more people than ever are trying to write a book and get it published. The odds of getting an agent are slim. The odds of getting published? I might as well take up a career in getting struck by lightening. I know my odds, and they aren’t very good.

My Humility
There’s always been that voice inside of me that doubts myself. Me? Become a best selling author? Have a following of fans that wait on the edge of their seats for my next book to come out? Readers will line up to ask for my autograph? Yeah, right.


So, which is it? Hokey or Pokey? Am I a writer or aren’t I? Truth is, it’s not a question. It’s not a decision I made. It just sort of happened. I didn’t have a say in the matter. My story has been written. And so far, it’s part of a trilogy, so I have to keep writing. If for no one else, then for my characters. I can’t just leave their lives unfinished in a make believe world I created. How cruel would that be?

Some days there will be rejections, tears, and harsh criticism. Other days there will be a beta reader that says “This is a perfectly perfect paragraph,” or another reader tells me they loved Nathan more than Edward (True! I swear!) Those are the days that keep me writing. The moments when I stare at my emotional mess of a crazy fantastic story and smile.

Maybe my stories won’t ever get published, but maybe they will. Cliché Gods assure me that “Only time will tell.” Until then, however far THEN may be, I will keep trying to be a better writer (self-doubts and all). Because what if, one day, an agent does love my story? And then a publisher loves my story. Maybe one day all of this work will result in a letter from a fan that says “Thank you for writing this.”

THEN, all of this hokey pokey will turn itself around.

16 comments:

  1. Oh girl--it is SO the hokey. I know exactly how you're feeling and exactly why though...hang in there...we'll make it through this. *hugs*

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  2. Karen,
    This is a great post! We all have those doubts. I agree with Jenn; it's the hokey!

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  3. i am hoping you settle firmly in the land of hokey :) great post. I feel exactly the same way about 20000000000 times a day (conservative estimate:)

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  4. A post every aspiring can relate to!
    We all have those crazy up and down moments, believing in ourselves one minute and doubting everything the next.
    I think in some ways it helps weed out at least a few of the less dedicate writers.

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  5. NOW I KNOW what those "tweets" are all about =)
    You know how I feel about this and that we go through similar feelings of I don't want to say self doubt but I guess, am I really doing the right thing, is this what I'm supposed to be doing with my life... IT IS, and dont let anyone make you feel any different. The YOU thats YOU when you're not around THEM is the YOU you were put on this planet to be!

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  6. HOKEY, HOKEY! I agree with Megan, we can all relate to this. We all have strengths and we all have weaknesses and we just have to hope that the strengths will win out.

    And I LOVED the bit about your imagination being misunderstood as lying when you were little. My 5-year-old has been coming home and telling me whoppers about what happened at school. I'll just have to remind myself that she's not lying, she just has a great imagination!

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  7. I am both as well. Keep moving forward! One day weaknesses can become strengths without a doubt.

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  8. Another AWESOME post Karen! The INTERN wrote something yesterday that actually made me feel better: http://internspills.blogspot.com/2009/09/scientific-proof-that-publishing-book.html

    Depressing, yet liberating!

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  9. Hokey Hokey Hokey!!!! It's hard not to let self doubt creep in. I've had large bouts of it lately and it doesn't do any good. Keep learning, keep writing, and keep believing.

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  10. You are so hokey--er, I mean, cool! I love this post, and I have no doubt you will be dancing your way into publication.
    *smiles and turns about*

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  11. You all are so great to dance along with me and my hokey pokey nonsense. Writing can be a bit of a roller coaster ride, but I do love me some roller coasters! ;)

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  12. What a great way to remind yourself of your aspirations and your doubts. And maybe the dance itself will help you chase away despair/celebrate!

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  13. This is a great way to remind yourself why you're writing and why you are good at it. Maybe I should run do the same.

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  14. Take the rough with the smooth. Even in times of despair, rejoice. Because the despair comes out of being a writer; being so far into the game that you're part of the rules now. You're a writer through and through, and that's the way it will always be. If you intend to be published, then I'm sure you will be. Simple. ;)

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  15. Karen, it's good to have it reaffirmed that every aspiring author does this. With hardly more than minutes inbetween, that they reason out both how they can and will become a published author and that the dream could never happen.
    I've started the day at both ends of this spectrum. I find it amusing that whereever I start something always crops up during the day to send me speeding in the opposite direction.

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  16. I used to be accused of lying all the time too so I so get where you're coming from. I have no doubts you will be published but the waiting can be such a bitch. I'm loving your writing tho' and by the looks of it, so are so many others!!

    I've just started to blog so please pop over and see what you think of my postings.

    I'm gonna follow your journey 'cos I think it's gonna be very interesting!!

    Good luck!!!!!

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