Blogger: Rachelle Gardner
I was talking with a writer about the tension between writing from her heart, and writing what the market seems to need. And it got me thinking of all the ways writers and publishing professionals have to live with the tension of trying to be different things at once.
It’s almost paradoxical, the way we need to embody characteristics that seem diametrically opposed to one another. But maybe if we acknowledge the conflicts, we’ll be better able to navigate them without frustration. Here are a few ways in which we writing/publishing types function in the midst of paradox.
1. We are at once creatives and business people.
Depending on your role (writer, editor, agent, marketer, etc.) you’ll be more heavily weighted toward one end or the other on this creative/business spectrum. But we are all expected to assimilate both characteristics. Creation is where it all starts; we are creative in our ideas and our execution of them. Thinking smart from a business perspective (using our creativity here, too) is what will bring our creations to market so others can enjoy them.
2. We are both subjective and objective.
We’re close to our own creations, and emotionally tied to them, so subjectivity about our work is our default. Readers’ tastes are also massively subjective and this is also true for agents and editors. Yet we all have to step back from our personal, instinctive opinions to try and see our work in an objective light, to better gauge its potential and its value to others.
3. We have to trust our own instincts while also trusting others to give useful feedback.
Trusting your instincts is an incredibly important attribute for success in business and life. If you can’t trust your gut, you’ll be forever tossed on the waves of doubt and indecision. Yet this is best balanced by a healthy respect for the input of wise counselors. We can develop discernment to know when others’ instincts are better than our own.
Trusting your own intuition can be tricky, because taken to the extreme, it can lead to stubbornness and the refusal to recognize the valuable opinions of others. The balance is a skill that most of us improve through years of practice.
4. We create for the inherent pleasure in our art, but also with the intention of sharing it with others.
Most writers start writing because they have something to say, or a story to tell, and they keep going because of the personal fulfillment they get from the creative process. Most agents and editors pursued their careers because of their love of books and literature and working with authors. We’re all doing our work for the joy of it.
When we also want to make a living from it, we’re put in the (sometimes uncomfortable) situation of needing to gracefully blend art and commerce. But sharing our art with others vastly increases the inherent gratification of creating in the first place, so the adjustments we make to be able to sell our work are usually worth it.
5. Much of our work is solitary, yet we also need to be good collaborators.
The only way we can get our work done is by sitting down at our laptops, alone. The work we do requires focus, and intensity, and deep thought. (I’ll submit this is true about a great many kinds of jobs out there.) But there comes a time when we have to leave our creation-cave, and work with others—whether to get feedback or editing, to get published, or to market our books. It doesn’t feel natural for some of us. We’d rather be solo flyers! Yet success demands both.
6. We have a spirit of humility about our work, but we need to be confident enough to share it.
We are at once apprehensive about sharing our work, and eager for others to enjoy it. We’re humble, not knowing whether others will value what we’ve done; yet we muster our confidence to put it out there. Some are closer to the humble end of the spectrum; others, as we know, are fearless! Again, finding a healthy balance is key to successfully navigating this paradox. Too close to either extreme will make it difficult to find your fans.
7. We’re extremely hard on ourselves, but we can also be blind to our own flaws.
Most of us are our own worst critics, and those of us with perfectionist tendencies are even harder on ourselves. Yet it’s human nature that we can’t see our own work objectively. A writer needs an editor to identify weak spots in the writing; others (like agents and editors) may need feedback from team members or an executive coach to help them be their best. It sometimes feels ironic that we could be so critical of ourselves, working so hard to be our best, and then an outsider comes in and immediately spots our flaws. Such is human nature.
Do you feel yourself living in any of these paradoxical situations? What are some other paradoxes you experience as a writer or publishing professional?
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Feel like you’re living in paradox? That’s normal in publishing, says @RachelleGardner. Click to Tweet.
Writers’ paradox: “Trusting our instincts while trusting others for useful feedback.” Click to Tweet.
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Interesting, and very deep post.
I’ve never really felt myself in paradox in these ways. The business and the art, for example, feel so interconnected in that the business is the fulfillment of the art, and the art is the raison d’etre of the business.
I do write for an audience; I am almost ashamed to say that I don’t have the “need” for expressing what’s on my heart. I enjoy telling good stories (well, I think they’re good!), and I feel that there are messages and legacies worth leaving. But if there were no chance that anyone would read them, I’d probably not write them.
For me, it’s about connection, and communication.
I guess that for me the biggest paradox comes when I go through something I’ve written, especially my first novel, “Blessed Are The Pure Of Heart” (which was published by a subsidy publisher…for no subsidy…weird…).
I can read the thing, and while I’m one of the most viciously self-critical people I know, it’s still a good read, at least for me. I can’t really believe I wrote the thing…must have been someone else, came in and opened the laptop while I was welding, or something.
Kind of like looking at a peak that I know I’ve “bagged”, and I can’t believe I really climbed it.
Does anyone else feel this way?
Andrew, you nailed it. Again. Just yesterday I ran across a Christmas devotional I wrote several years ago. I read it twice, and thought, “Wow! This is way better than I remembered.”
I sincerely believe that it is the work of the Holy Spirit–I really don’t write that deeply on my own. But God’s inspiration doesn’t eliminate the hard work on my part. I wonder if Isaiah felt the same way.
Andrew, I once heard Beth Moore say that she will pray, “Lord, make me smarter than I am.” I love that! 🙂
Yeah, I asked God for something like that as well, and here’s what He said –
“Son, y’all’s durn lucky thet Ah’s still in the bidness of the mee-RACK-you-luss.”
Not odd at all that God talks like He’s from Midland.
The West Texas Phonetic Translation used in God’s voice above is courtesy my wife, who developed it so that her family could understand exactly what I was saying to them.
That accent, coming from a Chinaman, was a bit too much for the Midwest to handle without help.
🙂
I love that prayer, too, Shelli! 🙂
Andrew, I spent the first 23 years of my life in a tiny West Texas town less than an hour from Midland. I live in Central Texas now, about 5 hours east from Midland, and I still get ribbing about my accent from time to time. 🙂
Andrew, looking back on the books I’ve written, I find it hard to believe that I actually thought of the characters and the stories. Or, being more accurate, God gave me the inspiration, others helped me brainstorm them, and then I did the work of writing. With lots and lots of prayer.
Looking back on them reminds me I’m alone in the working . . . but not really.
And I love the West Texas drawl . . . 🙂
Andrew, you’re right, these seemingly contradictory situations can be viewed as conflicting or as intertwined. Great way to look at it! And I understand the situation of reading your own stuff and being simultaneously self-critical and… “Wow? I wrote this?”
I feel that way about every novel I’ve ever written. There’s no way *I* did that. Yet I was there for every step, every word, every frustration and triumph. I wonder if it’s because writing a book changes a person so much we hardly remember or recognize the person we were starting out?
Well said, Lori.
I have one more source of tension you didn’t mention, Rachelle: present ministry versus writing as future ministry. What do I say no to now so that I have time to write for future publication?
Yes, a very real dilemma, Shirlee. Hopefully you’re finding ways to do both!
Ack, the pendulum swing of how I view my writing is ridiculous. “It’s awesome! I love the story” to “It is retched and must never be viewed by humanity!” Back and forth and back and forth. I think this is one of the reasons why we seek an agent and editor, will someone just let us know if it is terrible or not? Sometimes, it would just be nice to know.
Kristen, if I could make a suggestion, don’t look to an agent or editor for validation, because their views, if obtained professionally, will to some extent reflect marketability (this is my assumption, anyway).
Ask a friend whom you trust to be honest, and if the review’s positive, keep it in your heart. (From the way you write comments here, I’ll bet you can tell a really snappy, engrossing story.)
I went through the “if it’s not commercially viable it’s not good” thing, and for a while I hated what I wrote.
But I write contemporary romance in a slightly archaic style; it’s the way I think, the way I speak. It’s MY voice, and while it may not be what’ll fly off the shelves, there are people who don’t mind adverbs, and who prefer to get to know characters before the action starts. I have readers, and while we can hold fan rallies in a phone booth, they’re real people.
Maybe the paradox is that I tried to be a Real Live Writer, and ended up liking my voice, and liking myself.
Love your advice, Andrew. The weird thing is that friends are so different. I have had glowing reports from some friends that I genuinely expected to hate my stories, in an encouraging way of course, and blah reactions from those I expected to love them. Weird? But I can learn from both and I can hang onto the encouragement and learn from the negative too. Thanks, Andrew and I love your voice, you are fun to read and really, a military academic who writes romance…who could resist that?
I’ve had the same experience with the dichotomy of friends’ views. I’d be more likely to place stock in the unexpectedly positive ones, and here’s why (and again, grain of salt, I’m no professional) –
Reading’s an experience that exists in life’s context, and what is happening around us greatly affects – usually negatively – what we read.
I think that when we’re stressed we sometimes use books as Judas goats, almost intending to dislike them because that dislike can act as a counterweight to make us feel better about reality.
For example, an accountant in the audit season will likely hold a sweet romance in some contempt, and so doing will make her feel more professional and sharper. A month later, she might love the same book.
This is not to say “ignore negative reviews”…well, I do that, but you probably don’t want to! But do look at them in the totality of the reader’s life, if you have that knowledge of a friend-reader.
A positive review is more likely from the heart, and an unexpected positive review is really the best of all, because it caused a reader to admit to the changing of internal paradigms of attitude and ingrained preference.
And thank you so much for your kind words! You made my day!
This. For validation, look to your readers instead. They know nothing of The Industry and all its rules and requirements. They know only whether they liked the book or not, and sometimes why. This is all the author truly needs.
Kristen, this is common. But as we mature as writers, we usually find it easier to avoid the extreme pendulum swings. We can also learn to simply ignore our more extreme emotional reactions, and just keep working.
Making sure you’re constantly allowing yourself to read the good writing of others, and read books on the craft of writing (or take workshops) will also hone and mature your your view of your own work.
However, that pendulum swing will probably never completely go away. It may just become less dramatic.
I completely understand Kristen’s point. If only someone could look into the future and tell me if I’m any good and should keep trying….
But you make an excellent point, Rachelle. We need to ignore our own internal emotional swings, particularly the wild ones, and stick with our work. Focus on our calling, whether it be writing or building bridges or baking cupcakes. Thank you for an excellent post.
Well, Meghan, I’ll be the future.
I read every comment you make here (except when I’ve been too ill to attend, as it were).
You have a unique and extremely coherent voice, and I would buy anything you’ve written, sight unseen.
Add this – you have a perspective of strong faith that’s rare, and when you comment positively on one of my comments, I’m absolutely delighted. It’s like earning a gold star. I am like a dog with two tails, when that happens.
Meghan, you’re good. Never, ever quit. We need you.
Thank you, Andrew! Saving your comment for when I next need encouragement.
Yep, ignoring and writing and less dramatic swings. All good stuff. And the more writing blogs and resources I read the more I realize that writing and writers are all so very different. I need to become excellent at what I do, no necessarily at the kind of writing another writer is skilled at producing. Develop my voice and live with the fact that I can only be me…just me with more skill than before.
Way too deep! Seems impractical to think about a possible paradox while creating a new storyline that’s guaranteed to be a best seller. The Hollywood crowd thirsts for films in this category, but won’t gamble on anything new. There’s a paradoxical joke in business about developing a revolutionary new product that’s guaranteed to be both reliable and needed by consumers.
Authors write, and if it’s something the reading public takes up they’re geniuses. And if not, they’re misunderstood dreamers. If we have to write, then write with the attitude of artists like Jane Austin or Vincent van Gogh. I’m sure they wanted acceptance by their critics and died disappointed that they were not.
But this is just my opinion, and it’s the way I look upon the writing life.
So true, John. If we relied on the opinions of others, we’d be geniuses or misunderstood dreamers (at best). For some, the best plan is to forget about all this, and just write.
What a great post, Rachelle. The writer’s life is truly a paradox. One I’ve found myself in is learning to be confident in what I’ve written but also open to the perspectives and insights of others.
Entering contests has given me practice in learning to trust my instincts about the elements in my story that are genuinely good and accepting the suggestions others offer to make certain aspects of the story better. It’s a balance of not letting critique throw me and not being so confident in my abilities that I’m not teachable.
Exactly, Jeanne. Confident yet teachable. That’s the perfect balance!
Jeanne, I agree that contests help. It forces me to be “finished” with a project instead of the constant doubt and rewrite. If I win – great (I did once!) and if not – well that’s OK, too. For me the good part is a completed project. That is why I enjoy magazine writing also – it has a deadline and must be sent in regardless of my perfectionist drive for “one more edit.”
I’m with you, Sheila. I do well writing to a deadline. And being forced to say, “Enough editing,” when the book really is the best I can do on it. 🙂
So true, Jeanne. We must stay in a constant teachable state.
Rachelle, Great and thoughtful post. I’d never considered in how many ways writers present a dichotomy. You nailed it.
And all this time, I thought “paradox” was when Harry Kraus and I were standing side by side.
RICHARD! AAARRRRRGH!
That last line just head my headspace for the day.
“Set my headspace”. Sheesh. Your fault, doc.
Ha ha ha ha ha. Richard, I needed my morning chuckle. 🙂
Aargh! Thanks for today’s earworm, Richard!
My current project has me walking this paradox like a tightrope walker on a windy day.
Meeting the felt needs of readers while not being afraid to push the reader to recognize greater deeper needs is a tough line. One sells, the other pulls them into the story and provokes challenge and change.
This is an over simplification but I see it as a baited hook. The felt need is the bait- the deeper possibly unrecognized need- the hook.
Not to be confused with a bait and switch:)
All that to say: yes. I’m living this paradox. To me- its a problem to be solved- how do I keep my balance? Answer: input and collaboration.
Excellent blog Rachelle. Thanks for providing some clarity to things.
Love this list, Rachelle! So accurate.
I don’t know if this counts, and this is true … last night, trying to protect my notebook, containing all my WIP notes, from water, I cut the top of my foot pretty good. 🙂
I absolutely loved this, Rachelle! It’s nice to know that my ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ moments are actually normal. 🙂
Have any of you thought of your writing profession as a branch of the service industry? If I write with a self-full attitude then it’s all about me and may have little value to someone else. It would be like ordering a chocolate malt at Shari’s and being brought strawberry lemonade. It may be refreshing but it’s not what I want or expect. I wouldn’t pay for it.
It’s why this blog is so helpful. The agents invest in being here to serve, and they do a marvelous job. It keeps us coming back.
…and we’re proud about our work and at the same time, insecure.
We may feel insecure about our writings, but we can become secure with our vision for our writings. Then, once in awhile, we get a lift when someone really “gets” what we’re about and understands our message. That happened to me yesterday, and it was huge, effectively chasing some of the self-doubt away. I loved reading all these posts. There is a thread of universal experience within this group.
Well, this article pushed my buttons and gave me a reality check. Point number 7 resonated with me the most. The last three lines, someone from the outside, this terrifies me. Yes I am hard on myself, so what is it that makes me defensive when an expert agrees with me?
Reading these lists and comments that follow allow me to see that I am not bonkers! Juggling the twenty-six letters of the alphabet into something I want to share, characters, plots, ideas, that I hope people might enjoy and ponder, is intriguing and rewarding. The main thing I think is the willingness to learn, to improve, to never think, “Okay, been there, done that.” Ha! Your blog is great.