My two cents
There’s a guest blogger over at The Swivet today. Matthew Cheney writes a letter to his younger writer self, and his advice to himself is very insightful.
But, I make a habit of not treading in the waters of the past. I can’t change what was, only what will be, or what is. I am not big on wasting time and I find wishing things were different is the ultimate mind game. Sort of like watching The Biggest Loser while eating ice cream. Not that I’ve ever done that, nope, not me.
I actually don’t have advice for a younger me — because I think that today’s me is a culmination of the good, the bad and the in-between. I think it all adds up like pennies in a milk bottle. I don’t think I’d be a writer again today if I hadn’t made the exact choices that I made or lived how I lived or did what I did or met who I met. I wouldn’t change a hair style or a fashion faux pas.
That being said – I have no problem giving other people advice or giving myself a good talking to in the present – especially about writing and publishing. I am not guru or god, but I am addicted to search engines and publishing sites and books. With the proliferation of publishing information on the internet, I find it unconscionable when a writer does do his or her homework to understand the business, which I think is one of the keys for success in today’s publishing climate. Therefore I did the happy dance when I read this from Matthew Cheney on MFAs:
“There’s a difference, though, between the art and craft of writing and the art and craft of getting that writing published. This is something that all the writing guides I read when young really did teach me well — from an early age, I knew the basics of agents, contracts, etc. The information is out there, and it doesn’t require an advanced degree to find it.”
I have friends who have queried fewer than a half dozen agents and feel they have failed when not offered representation. My advice to them is to query more agents. I have friends who have queried ad nauseam with no luck. My advice to them is to write a new book while they wait.
What advice do you give your present day writer? Do you listen to your own advice or is it easier to listen to someone else?
And, do you find that you spend time in the past wishing you’d finished that novel that’s under your mattress or that screenplay that’s under your socks? Because if you do, tomorrow you will realize that you missed the opportunity to write today.
Just my advice.
Love the quote as well as your sage advice. I’m scared of regrets and should/coulda/wouldas, so I plunge ahead and do. The biggest piece of advice I’d give my present day writer Self is to submit more often, and to carry forth with finding the perfect agent when my WIP meets my expectations.
I heart ya blog.
My advice? Write more; write faster. But that’s just my advice to myself. *sigh*
I worry about your tomorrow every single day.
Excellent post and advice Amy. I in absolute agreement with your sentiments regarding the past. If you don’t let it go it will devour you and you won’t even realize it’s happening. As for the agent search, I dove into the deep end of the pool last night and queried an agent who I feel may be interested in my story. If not, as you say Amy, you keep chugging along until you hit the jackpot. For me, a denial or rejection is rather anticlimactic at this point in my life.
For me, the most important thing is to keep learning, by writing and writing and writing some more, and editing and revising and submitting. It’s all a learning process that takes time. But don’t stop.
My advice would be . . .
Be Fearless.
Because I am coming to the conclusion that most failures in life come from FEAR more than from real obstacles. Obstacles are temporary.
E
I’m not a writer, so I won’t speak to that, but I did once write a letter to a younger me…http://jellyjules.com/?p=562