Ten Commandments of a Happy Writer

Horserider · Mar 5, 2009

Saw this on Nathan Bransford's blog and had to share:

http://nathanbransford.blogspot.com/2009/03/ten-commandments-for-happy-writer.html

8. Park your jealousy at the door. Writing can turn ordinary people into raving lunatics when they start to believe that another author's success is undeserved. Do not begrudge other writers their success. They've earned it. Even if they suck.

mscelina · Mar 5, 2009

Hmmm...you should post that in all the anti-Meyer, anti-Rowlings threads going on.

Horserider · Mar 5, 2009

Msc that's why I quoted that one.

I plan to. Don't forget the anti-Paolini talks I've heard.

Bubastes · Mar 5, 2009

I

Nathan.

blacbird · Mar 5, 2009

1. Enjoy the present. Writers are dreamers, and dreamers tend to daydream about the future while concocting wildly optimistic scenarios that involve bestsellordom, riches, and interviews with Ryan Seacrest. In doing so they forget to enjoy the present. I call this the "if only" game. You know how it goes: if only I could find an agent, then I'll be happy. When you have an agent, then it becomes: if only I could get published, then I'll be happy. And so on. The only way to stay sane in the business is to enjoy every step as you're actually experiencing it. Happiness is not around the bend. It's found in the present.

happy (ha-pi) adj. Less distraught.

-- Blacbird's Unabridged Dictionary, 2009 ed.

caw

NicoleMD · Mar 5, 2009

At a writers conference last year, I attended a panel called "Why I Write" comprised of about 6 or so authors. I don't think I've ever met such a woe-is-me gloomy bunch. About half of them admitted to not even making time to write anymore. Why bother if it makes you that unhappy?

Nicole

kaitlin008 · Mar 5, 2009

I thought that was really such a good blog entry. Especially with being happy in the present. I've never understood why people even write in the first place if they don't love it. Even if you're trying to get published, you've still got to be happy when you're writing, and just do it because you want to be doing it, or won't it show in your final product?

MumblingSage · Mar 5, 2009

Hey, anti-Paolini and anti-Meyer have their purposes...probably...(maybe as 'what we're sick of in fantasy/vampire romance' complaint centers?)

I'm a capitalist; I can't begrudge anyone their success provided people didn't have to buy their books at gunpoint. No, I really need to use this commandment when thinking of my sister (whose story is getting reviewed in Locus! Grar!).

Wayne K · Mar 6, 2009

. Enjoy the present. Writers are dreamers, and dreamers tend to daydream about the future while concocting wildly optimistic scenarios that involve bestsellordom, riches, and interviews with Ryan Seacrest. In doing so they forget to enjoy the present. I call this the "if only" game. You know how it goes: if only I could find an agent, then I'll be happy. When you have an agent, then it becomes: if only I could get published, then I'll be happy. And so on. The only way to stay sane in the business is to enjoy every step as you're actually experiencing it. Happiness is not around the bend. It's found in the present.

I'll go along with this. But...But...Ryan Seacrest! That's the part where my daydream morphs into a cruel nightmare.

I also believe the addage that a man is most happy when he dreams of being happy, so I disagree with this at the same time.

tehuti88 · Mar 6, 2009

NicoleMD said:
At a writers conference last year, I attended a panel called "Why I Write" comprised of about 6 or so authors. I don't think I've ever met such a woe-is-me gloomy bunch. About half of them admitted to not even making time to write anymore. Why bother if it makes you that unhappy?

kaitlin008 said:
I've never understood why people even write in the first place if they don't love it. Even if you're trying to get published, you've still got to be happy when you're writing, and just do it because you want to be doing it, or won't it show in your final product?

That's why I'm not seeking critique and not trying to get published. I know it would totally destroy any joy writing brings me by agonizing over EVERY SINGLE LITTLE THING--"Is this too long? Too short? Too many exclamation marks? Too many adverbs? Too cliched? Already done too many times? Wrong genre? Not in style right now?" etc. etc. etc....I realize we all have our reasons for writing, and I'm not knocking anybody at all if that's their choice, but if writing were about all that to me, I wouldn't bother doing it at all.

So many writers seem so miserable. It's a shame. Writing is supposed to be hard but rewarding work--whatever our motives--not torture.

kaitlin008 · Mar 6, 2009

tehuti88 said:
That's why I'm not seeking critique and not trying to get published. I know it would totally destroy any joy writing brings me by agonizing over EVERY SINGLE LITTLE THING--"Is this too long? Too short? Too many exclamation marks? Too many adverbs? Too cliched? Already done too many times? Wrong genre? Not in style right now?" etc. etc. etc....I realize we all have our reasons for writing, and I'm not knocking anybody at all if that's their choice, but if writing were about all that to me, I wouldn't bother doing it at all.

So many writers seem so miserable. It's a shame. Writing is supposed to be hard but rewarding work--whatever our motives--not torture.

That end part is exactly how I feel as well. Though I actually like having my work critiqued, because usually my critiquers tell me things they liked as well as things they didn't like, so they're not crushing my soul completely. I also think that you can have a goal to be published and still love your writing - you just have to not ever forget the fact that you ultimately started writing because you adore writing. I think that's where people tend to go wrong. They get so wrapped up in the dream of being published and being famous and having screaming superfans that they forget why they're doing it in the first place.

Ten Commandments of a Happy Writer

Horserider

Ever onward

mscelina

Teh doommobile, drivin' rite by you

Horserider

Ever onward

Bubastes

bananaed

blacbird

NicoleMD

Onomatopotamus

kaitlin008

Seeing newness all the time

MumblingSage

Inarticulate Herb

Wayne K

tehuti88

Mackinac Island Fanatic

kaitlin008

Seeing newness all the time