Last month, Dear Spouse took me to a local track as part of my birthday treat (he’s a ‘special’ kind of romantic, but at least he remembers the date). I’ll admit, I am not what most would consider a fan, but I don’t dislike it either. I’ll also admit that watching a race in person is a whole other experience compared to the televised snippets played in the background on a Sunday afternoon. In person, the adrenaline can’t help but spike.
Since I take my camera practically everywhere, of course I took photos of the races. Chance timing allowed me to capture this crash.
Why, though, would I possibly find it interesting to talk about a car race on a blog about writing?
It made me think about how writers can be hard on themselves. Prior to being published, an emerging author will get their hopes high, only to feel so low when a rejection comes back. There’s this constant up-down emotional ride that, honestly, doesn’t end once a publishing contract is signed. Since writers are always putting themselves out there, the ups and downs will always follow.
Then, the published writer can be particularly hard on him or herself, once the first contract is signed, as he or she wonders if a second contract will ever happen. She wonders if she’s a one-book-wonder or if readers hated the first book so much it doesn’t matter if a second book will come along since no one will read it anyway. Or, even if these self-doubts don’t come into play, a reviewer will doubt the writer on her behalf, or the editor will question why a contract was accepted, or… any number of imperfect things will happen.
With so many obstacles in the publishing world, with so many ups and downs, it’s a wonder any writer makes it through a day without giving up. Writers are terrible self-critics. Which brings me back to this car crash…
Is a racecar driver only successful when staying on course? Are crashes not inevitable? Are they not expected? Whether a local racer on a small course or a pro at the Indy 500, accidents happen. Drivers go off-course. So do writers.
Racecar drivers know accidents happen but they generally get back on course and finish what they started. So does a professional writer. Whether it’s ignoring a form rejection, or soaking in the advice of a personal rejection, it’s up to the writer to get back on course.
When it comes to writing as a career, an author must always keep the end goal in sight. We can’t let the little spinouts or literary fender-benders slow us down. There will always be downs, but with those come the ups that make it all worthwhile.
There’s no such thing as a perfect race when it comes to writing. The finish line always changes; there is always a new goal to reach. It’s not about coming in first. It’s about getting back on course when we stray off path and not letting a bump on the road completely derail us (oops, mixing metaphors!).
Like racers, a writer needs a good support team. Maybe that includes a spouse and some friends or maybe that includes a critique group or workshop retreat. Use your team to help keep you on track and guide you along your course.
Speaking of support, I was just asked to join this year’s
Critique Mania, hosted by
Whidbey Island Writers Association. For $25, emerging writers can submit a poem or three pages of prose to be personally critiqued by one of the many wonderful authors who have volunteered their time to support this fundraiser for
Soundings Review, the
Whidbey Island Writers Association magazine. Not only is this a great way to support a top-notch literary community, it’s also a fantastic way for an author to get detailed feedback on a work-in-progress. Details about the 2009 Critique Mania will be updated on the Whidbey
website very soon, so I hope you’ll check it out.
Remember, a writer is not unlike a racecar driver. There are bound to be hits and misses and it’s inevitable that a crash will happen to even the most experienced writer. But by keeping focused, dismissing the negatives, and working with the positives, a writer can learn to tame the self-doubts and cross that finishing line each and every time.
What stumbling blocks have you had to overcome in your career? How have you moved past rejection and kept up your momentum? Please feel free to share your own experiences here. We’ve all been there and most of us will be there again. After all, it’s simply a part of being in the race. The important thing is, is that you’re still in it.
