Because I'm a lemming

[pbray]

After reading everyone else's 10 Things list, I decided to give in to my inner lemming and post one of my own.

10 Things I Know About Writing

Warning: the following advice has not been proven to be generally safe and effective. As with all writing advice, use at your own risk, under the supervision of a professional. Your individual mileage may vary.

1) Your book is never as good as you think it is.

2) It's also never as bad as you think it is.

3) It is good to have a routine for writing.

4) Except, of course, when it's not.

5) Being with other writers is energizing.

6) Comparing yourself to other writers can only lead to unhappiness, as there will always be others who are more successful (however you define this) than you are.

7) It is good to have a career plan.

8) Having a career plan does not mean that you are in control of your career. There are too many variables outside your control that can alter your career path for good or ill.

9) The longer you've been in the business, the more you know. I am constantly learning new things about writing and being a succesful author.

10) Anyone who tells you they know the one true secret to being a sucessful writer is deluded, angling for you to buy them a drink in the bar, or both.

Comments

[tryslora]

Yes! to #5, in spades!

[pbray.livejournal.com]

#5 is one of the greatest things about going to cons, or hanging out on LJ when you can't get to a physical gathering.

[jennifer-dunne.livejournal.com]

I was a lemming, too. But a much more long-winded lemming. :-)

[janni.livejournal.com]

Yes! on 1, 2, 5, and 6.

[cammykitty.livejournal.com]

Ah, but your inner lemming sounds wise. Thanks for the post. I'm in the item 4 phase right now, hoping to crawl back up to item 3 soon.

[pbray.livejournal.com]

Sending good thoughts your way. I'm wavering between 4 and 3 myself. Going to try to break the stalemate by setting aside dedicated writing time somewhere other than my writing room, to see if this helps shake things loose.

[cammykitty.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the thoughts! I'm wondering if I shouldn't start trying to use the blog as a warm up. A change of scenery does sound like a good idea. If it were summer, I'd tell you to find a nice tree in the middle of a meadow and try that. There are some earthy-crunchy cafes I like hanging about in that might work for me. Good luck!

[larryhammer]

Word.

---L.