Writer Arrogance
Dec. 9th, 2004 08:12 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
raefinlayWe sometimes encounter writers at the OWW who believe they will shatter market records and win a Pulitzer with their current WIP. They are generous with advice, but attached disclaimers make it clear that such advice is akin to receiving a magical blessing. Their reviews are full of "I" and "My". They ignore criticism. If someone doesn't appreciate their work, it is because that person is incapable of recognizing genius.
I envy them.
It would be nice to have a long stretch--say, three months or so--when I could look at my WIP and not see crap. I would love to consider it saleable, would die of ecstasy to believe my premises original, my prose flawless, my characters irresistable. Writing would be so much easier if I thought, even misguidedly, that my writing would make me famous or rich or self-actualized. What an incentive! To know that fortune is just a finished novel away!
Alas, my motivation is vastly different. I write because I must. Some nights, it is sheer discipline. I write to finish this novel, so I can start a better one, and then another one after that in the hopes that by novel 3 or 4 I might have something worth selling. But even more, I have too many thoughts and emotions and stories chasing each other around in my soul and I must write to make them concrete, identifiable. I need to look at them on paper and say, "I see you! I understand you! You are no longer my mystery."
So, you OWWers with blinding arrogance, I fear you not at all, and I sincerely hope you submit to all the same agents as my honestly-laboring writer buddies. But I envy you your confidence and your hope-driven inspiration.
Now...moving on to chapter 17...
I envy them.
It would be nice to have a long stretch--say, three months or so--when I could look at my WIP and not see crap. I would love to consider it saleable, would die of ecstasy to believe my premises original, my prose flawless, my characters irresistable. Writing would be so much easier if I thought, even misguidedly, that my writing would make me famous or rich or self-actualized. What an incentive! To know that fortune is just a finished novel away!
Alas, my motivation is vastly different. I write because I must. Some nights, it is sheer discipline. I write to finish this novel, so I can start a better one, and then another one after that in the hopes that by novel 3 or 4 I might have something worth selling. But even more, I have too many thoughts and emotions and stories chasing each other around in my soul and I must write to make them concrete, identifiable. I need to look at them on paper and say, "I see you! I understand you! You are no longer my mystery."
So, you OWWers with blinding arrogance, I fear you not at all, and I sincerely hope you submit to all the same agents as my honestly-laboring writer buddies. But I envy you your confidence and your hope-driven inspiration.
Now...moving on to chapter 17...
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Date: 2004-12-09 05:26 pm (UTC)Seriously, it must be so nice to not realize that you're not all that.
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Date: 2004-12-09 05:35 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-12-09 05:37 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-12-09 06:05 pm (UTC)Wanna know a secret Rae? I think all my words suck too. But I'm driven. I write because if I don't my head will explode not only killing me but taking out whoever happens to be within the vicinity. Someday our novels will be finished, all bright and shiny. Maybe I should try OWW again. If anything for a good chuckle!
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Date: 2004-12-09 06:09 pm (UTC)ROFL!!! I soooo understand what you mean! *dies*
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Date: 2004-12-10 12:46 am (UTC)