By Dame Jackie
Want to know what the hardest thing is when you’re a midlist author? (Or, at least, for this midlist author?) It’s not getting another contract (although God knows, that’s up there) or dealing with lousy reviews (ditto) or even all the waiting — between contracts, for books to hit the shelves, for those all-powerful numbers to come in.
It’s keeping perspective.
Comparing ourselves to others is easy. But we run a huge risk in doing so: we can become bitter, jealous, or despondant. We can overlook our own achievements as we stare longingly at the other author’s milestones. So what if I get rights sold to another country–they have a movie deal. Who cares about a nomination for an award–they continuously hit national bestseller status. So what if I get another deal–they have a book tour paid by their publisher. And so on.
Therein lies madness. And not the checking-the-Amazon madness, either. This sort of comparison is soul crushing. It becomes a sort of Creative Darwinism. And it can stop an author’s momentum, to say nothing of utterly ruining one’s bliss.
So what’s a midlist author to do in the wake of other authors’ successes?
1. Choose to be inspired by them. I have a number of great friends who are way, way, way out of my writing league — they’re getting six-figure deals and movie options and foreign rights sales and paid book tours…and the list goes on. And yeah, there are times when I’m jealous as anything over their success. Maybe you know that dark voice that comes whispering things like: “If it’s happening to them, why isn’t it happening to me?” Or “What am I doing wrong?” It’s easy to listen to that little voice and get overwhelmed with despair.
What’s harder, but is much more satisfying, is crushing that little voice on your boot heel by turning its words around: “It’s happening to them, and so it can happen to me.”
Really.
It’s happening to them…and so it can happen to you. It’s not impossible. It’s not some unobtainable goal. Other authors have achieved what you want to achieve. And that means you could achieve it too.
2. Be proud of what you’ve accomplished. When I talk to people at parties and whatnot, and they ask what I do, to a person their eyes light up when I say I’m a novelist and that my books are in B&N and Borders. They get excited. They think it’s pretty damn cool that they now know a published author.
And when that evil little voice pipes up and whispers “I’m not a bestselling author,” I remember that I have four novels and two anthologies on the shelves, and two more novels coming in 2010.
And you know what? That is pretty damn cool.
Do you know how many people start writing novels and never finish? Or how many finish but never get them published? A hell of a lot. You’ve beaten those odds by getting published. ROCK ON. Be proud of that!
3. Remember what’s most important. Writing is when I find my bliss. But when I get wrapped up in my sell through and the state of the market and start worrying about future contracts, I forget why I got into the business in the first place: the writing.
About eight weeks ago, I reached a crisis point. I was horribly upset and found myself asking, “What’s the point?” You want to know what the point is? The writing. That’s the entire point. I write because I can’t imagine not writing. So I changed my routine to help snap me out of my funk — I changed my diet and started exercising, figuring that if I can be proud of myself in some ways (being healthier), that would help me keep perspective and be proud of what I’ve accomplished so far and remember that push comes to shove, I do this because I love the writing. Eight weeks later, I’ve lost weight, have more energy, and have once again found my writing bliss.
Yes, publishing is a business. But the art behind the business — the writing — holds my joy.
So the next time you feel that familiar jealousy worming through your heart, take a deep breath and hug your inner writer. Aim for Zen. You may be stunned by how much happier you are.
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Tags: Jackie Kessler
I needed this today. Thanks.
Yep. In fact, this is the second time today this sort of message was delivered to me. Must be the temper tantrum I had earlier this week getting some attention…
Great advice, Jackie! Perspective is everything. Love the Zen analogy.
Thanks for the words of wisdom! I was just obsessing over sell through this morning. And the point IS the writing. Me in a dark room making stuff up. The rest is just background.
thanks for the post – I deal with this regularly (i guess everyone does). Most of the time I’m fine celebrating other people’s success, but sometimes it gets hard to hold onto that perspective. I definitely try to remember the ‘it happened to them, so it can happen to me’ mantra. So thanks for brightening my day!
I’m really glad it’s helpful. The big thing that we need to remember is that just because writing is solitary, that doesn’t mean we don’t have a community to turn to for support. We’re in this together.
Thank you for this advice. It came at a good time.
Hi
Thanks for that heartfelt terrific blog post.
Great advice on how to keep your head and heart.
Love and best wishes to you and yours,
twitter.com/RKCharron
xxoo
I need to whap myself upside the head with this advice on a regular basis. I have to remind myself where I was just a few short years ago, sure I would never live my dream . . . Thanks for the reminder–always especially needed around release time, when neurosis goes into overdrive.
I’m not a mid-list author – yet. I started writing this past year. The names to the right are all names I’ve read. You guys are good – very, very good.
I enjoy your work as much as the so-called bestsellers (more than some of the one’s I’ve read recently, but I will refrain from naming them and keep the inner snark in).
Your time will come, each and everyone of you. I can’t offer any advice in this business b/c I’m still so new myself. But, I’ve been self employed for years and used to teach sales people how to sell.
I can tell you this – it’s YOU that makes a difference in succeeding. And you’ve got to really believe it or you won’t get where you want.
I’m in awe and amazed by the writing in your books, so dammit, get your heads out of the sand and BELIEVE what I believe. You are damn good.
I know it.
You can’t compare yourself to others. I also learned to believe in yourself. There are so many outside sources against you. As long as you believe and work on your dream, you can do it.
This is such a wonderful post, and it comes at a great time for me. Thank you so much for the reminder!
Excellent post, Jackie! You nailed it on all points. Thanks for the lift! I’m aiming for zen
.
Incredible post! I love the part about writing being your bliss. That’s the way I view my writing now- my bliss and my passion. And a ticket out of the cube I work in during the day.
This is all good advice, of course, and about something we all struggle with. At least, everyone I know struggles with it.
Unfortunately, I never have those “Oh, you’re an author, how cool!” moments. In my real (non-writing) life, sometimes I think I’m the only one I know who thinks my job is cool.
Often I find myself trying to defend my chosen genre from people (including my own family) who ask me why I waste my talent on urban fantasy. That makes it a little harder for me to keep a healthy perspective. But I’m working on it.
***hugs***
Rachel, next time you get grief over what you write, ask them why writing what you love is a waste. (How many people get paid to do what they love?) And ask them what part of being a bestselling author is actually wasting your talent.
Great post, Jackie! All of it is oh, so true…
I loved this post. Thanks, Jackie.
I needed this a while a go, but I’m glad that I got it now. I was in tears a while back because it was one of those, ‘this is going no where, I’ll never make it like so and so’, and that’s where my ranting stopped (thanks to a good friend). I’m not like that author, my stories are my own, my writing is my own, it may be similar, but it’s mine. I’m not published (hopefully maybe one day) so I don’t have the joy of “Oh cool you’re published” (yet) but I get the, “You’re writing a novel? When can I read it?” That’s what keeps me writing. That little mini fan base, even though it is classmates and friends.
So thank you!
The last two posts on your blog have been truely inspirational. Thanks for the post.
Thanks for the post Jackie! Sometimes it’s hard to keep perspective no matter what you do, so appreciate your words of wisdom. And hey, writers are majorly cool!
Thank you, everyone, for the comments! See that? We really **aren’t** alone.
Jackie,
Really love your post. Both yours and Devon’s yesterday have such great advice and words of wisdom. I love your perspective: It happened to them and it can happen to me. My only rephrase on that is, it will happen to me. I love reading your site, love what you share. Thank-you for being so open and sharing these anxieties. You are wonderful!
This was really good to read today. And the comments just add to the positive nature of your words. I’m just starting out too-and the phrase “It can happen to me” is a good mantra to keep in front of me as i struggle with plot, timing, etc. to bring my world to life. What was really great was to have the first 6 chapters of my book read by someone who’s opinion I value and she said she wanted to keep reading to find out what happened next. That was great to hear for the first time!