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Lies Writers Believe

March 24, 2019 //  by Cynthia Ruchti//  15 Comments

Blogger: Cynthia Ruchti

The most common lie is that which one lies to himself.  –Friedrich Nietzsche

Writers–fiction or nonfiction–are billed as truth-tellers. But they often lie to themselves. The lies writers believe are so commonplace that those who have been in the industry for any length of time recognize them from a distance.

Have you been susceptible to any of these lies writers believe?

My book is the only one ever written on this subject.

lies writersThis lie can be far more harmful than mere arrogance. It can keep an author from conducting due diligence to research what’s already on the market and how their book is or can stand out from the crowd.

Because others have written on this subject, there’s no room for my book.

Has only one author written about fear or grief or leadership or kindness? What makes room for another author to write on that subject is a unique perspective, a compelling link, an intriguing twist on a common theme. It is the corporate wisdom, the chorus of voices on a topic that creates the strongest message.

If I don’t find an agent or publishing house editor interested in my book in the first couple of weeks after finishing the manuscript, there’s no point in trying.

The process works by calendar pages rather than seconds on a watch. It’s noteworthy but not a uncommon as a new writer might think to hear a story of an author who heard nothing from an editor for more than a year and then, a contract appeared. Writers conferences ring with swapped stories of the article the author forgot about until a check arrived in the mail four years later. It’s not ideal. But it’s not uncommon for the process of publishing to take months or years. There is a point in trying. Each thing written exercises writing muscles that are one day strong enough to pull off a published book.

The words I just wrote are the worst dribble ever created.

A lie heard most frequently immediately after a writer hits SEND on his or her latest project. lies writers believeWhen a new writer confesses the feeling, veteran authors nod knowingly. They’ve entertained the same lie, eventually realizing that if all authors hear it, that alone proves its fallacy.

The words I just wrote are the finest prose ever created.

That lie fades quickly. Or it should.

If I change the names and their hair color, my aunt/uncle/cousin/boss/neighbor will never know I’m writing about them.

Yes. They will. They’re better detectives than they’re given credit for. And the ones you’re sure will never read your book either will, or they’ll hear about it secondhand from friends who can’t wait to point out the similarities to your characters.

If my publisher doesn’t offer me another contract, I must have done something wrong.

Not necessarily. Publishers want to keep their authors, if they can. One of the heartaches editors face is having to turn down excellent projects. Another is having to trim their stable of authors. And publishers despise the word “budget cuts” as much as any other business.

If I hit the NYTimes bestseller list, I have it made in the shade.

lies writers often believeReaching a bestseller list is an honor accompanied by pressure to stay on the list, to write another book that surpasses the first. Whether winning the lottery or holding a spot on as a bestselling author, the high doesn’t last. And the honor is no guarantee of a continual upward trajectory for a writer’s career. No honor has the power to maintain perpetual happiness or success.

Inflating my social media numbers, past sales, experience, or bio is expected. Besides, no one ever checks those things.

Big ole’ lie. One of the first things agents and editors and marketing departments do is check an author’s social media numbers and presence, verify the information in a bio, and look up past sales. All the good ones look. They need the information–and as accurate as possible–to make an informed decision. They also need it to convince the rest of the publishing team that yours is a project worth the investment.

Publishers and agents will understand that my book has great cross-over potential. Everyone everywhere will love it.

When editors and agents see words to this effect in a proposal, red flags pop up like inquisitive prairie dogs. Reading audiences have different tastes. Even the most popular books ever published haven’t been universally accepted. And although some books do cross over–appealing to both general market and inspirational audiences, for instance–they are rare. The books with strong cross-over possibilities are usually the ones that surprise even the publisher.

If an editor or agent asks me to change something I’ve written, it must mean they’re out of God’s will, because I basically took dictation from heaven on this project.

The truth is that editors and agents will ask you to change many, many things. God gifted them with the ability to know what needs editing, trimming, or polishing. You may have felt “in the zone” when writing, but typos in the proposal are a dead giveaway that it wasn’t written by the finger of God.writer lies

Some of the lies writers believe are based in self-doubt, or self-aggrandizement, or misinformation about the industry. Knowing they exist increases a writer’s ability to disarm them so the truth can propel the career forward.

 

What other lies do you know too many writers believe? What lie have you had to conquer in your writing journey?

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Category: Agents, Authors, Blog, Writing LifeTag: conquering lies that hinder writer success, lies writers believe, publishing, truth about writing

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  1. Andrew Budek-Schmeisser

    March 24, 2019 at 6:06 pm

    Cynthia, this is for you. Never underestimate that which you have done. Never underestimate how much you are valued, and loved.

    This I truly hope you know:
    you’re precious to my heart.
    The grace and wisdom you bestow
    the kindness you impart!
    I pray that you comprehend
    the influence that you share,
    helping better what we’ve penned
    with gentle, loving care.
    You’ve touched so very many
    with a heart that’s full of Christ,
    and me, at least, you’ve steadied
    to know what He sacrificed.
    May I say, ere my final bell
    you witnessed God, and did it well.

    Reply
    • Cynthia Ruchti

      March 25, 2019 at 1:13 am

      Andrew, I will cherish these words. Thank you.

      Reply
    • Judith Robl

      March 25, 2019 at 10:18 am

      Amen, Andrew. Beautifully said.

      And Cynthia, fully deserved.

      Reply
      • Cynthia

        March 25, 2019 at 11:18 am

        Thanks, Judith!

  2. Cheryl Malandrinos

    March 25, 2019 at 7:03 am

    What an informative and inspiring post, Cynthia. I don’t get a chance to stop by here as often as I used to, but when I do it is always worth it.

    The main thing I struggle with lately is writer envy–telling myself I could never write as well as so and so. This is a newer struggle. I never used to compare myself to others. I’m not sure where that has come from, but we do have a great writers group with some amazing talent. Maybe that’s it.

    Reply
    • Cynthia

      March 25, 2019 at 11:20 am

      Another common one. 🙂

      Reply
  3. Shirlee Abbott

    March 25, 2019 at 9:41 am

    I can lie to myself (and I do), but lying to the Holy Spirit is different. The Spirit smacks the back of my head when I think too highly of myself and nudges my chin up when I insist I’m not good enough. Your list, Cynthia, is cause for godly whiplash.

    Reply
    • Cynthia

      March 25, 2019 at 11:22 am

      Good point.

      Reply
  4. Maco Stewart

    March 25, 2019 at 10:00 am

    Great post. Think not too highly or too lowly of yourself and your work, be amenable to suggestions for improvement, be patient, and don’t lie. True for any field of endeavor. Keep getting better.

    Reply
    • Cynthia

      March 25, 2019 at 11:24 am

      Insightful.

      Reply
  5. Kass Fogle

    March 25, 2019 at 2:49 pm

    The biggest lies I’m conquering are, “don’t take any risks, “ and “the writing community only fits a specific mold.” I value your list and appreciate the validations and challenges in them.☺️

    Reply
    • Cynthia Ruchti

      March 26, 2019 at 5:56 am

      Thank you, Kass. It is encouraging, isn’t it, to know that others hear the same untruths and need to fight them off to move forward. Take risks! But know your audience and the publishing industry. Ah, the dichotomies!

      Reply
  6. online paper writing

    March 29, 2019 at 1:26 am

    Great post. I want to share a site that helps me in education. Thanks to essaysource. You can even perform complex academic work.

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  7. Cecily moore

    April 4, 2019 at 2:35 pm

    Wow! This was exactly what I needed. So much truth about lies! “The words I just wrote are the finest prose ever” cracked me up!!!
    What I noticed when reading these is that even the tough truths offer more Hope than all the lies. Thank you.

    Reply
  8. Meghan Weyerbacher

    April 9, 2019 at 3:41 pm

    Wow, this is great insight, Cynthia.

    I would say out of all of them, I struggle with the crossover one the most.
    I serve in the church and want to write uplifting words for leadership, but I also feel drawn to serve people who attend who may not feel they belong anywhere, which seems I would be talking to two different audiences almost.

    I am moving forward slowly with nonfiction because I have a hard time slicing down to one idea. I have many and have to figure out if they fit together somehow in the one grand scheme of a book, or if they are all separate focuses, needing to be separate books.

    So if I were to look back at a lie I used to believe, it would have been: I write a lot, so this will be easy. Ha, no way. But hard work and having a learners heart is helping.

    Really appreciate this post and also, I do have to say–I love the new framework of the blog. (That was unrelated, haha!)

    Reply

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