Saving Me From Myself

Reading about Debi Apner's request from a stranger for her book sales and Conortje's date announcing he needed his head shrunk, I was reminded of a recent discussion of my own.

Recently I was drinking on the first floor of the Stag's Head which is not unlike sitting in someone's front room with 100 other people. (Like a wake, but without the food and weird distant relatives.) I'd been collared by a friend of a friend I'll call Dave about the progress of my novel. He fancied himself as an expert about the path to publishing so he was full of questions and suggestions. I had the measure of him; I was armoured with a trusty layer of thick skin I'd nutured after the last time we'd spoken. The conversation turned to:

Dave: So what's your market?
Me: Well the structure of my novel is very like David Mitchell's The Cloud Atlas-
Dave: *Frowns* Never heard of him or it.
Me: It was shortlisted for the Booker Prize.
Dave: Hmm, the Booker Prize is quite niche you know. You need to be careful of these limited markets, people can be put off.
Me: Oh no, it was on the bestsellers list for ages, it's still a very popular book-
Dave: *Frown deepens* The populist market is full of pratfalls. Better to set your sights higher if you want to be respected.
Me: Sorry there Dave, the bar is calling. Cheers.

(Dave by the way is doing a PHD in Art and has never written a book let alone published one.)

I was more amused than annoyed by the above exchange, and perhaps it was just idle curiosity from a bit of a know-it-all. But I did get the impression he was testing my mettle for the road ahead, even trying to catch me out. Perhaps he was trying to save me from myself?

So here's the question - why do people do this? If, for example, I met a musician I wouldn't dare interrogate or lecture them about landing a recording contract but perhaps that's just me. I have the CV of a serial job-hopper but I have never had this reaction until I started telling people I was writing a book. Are writers a greater target than other professions? Or have I just been lucky until now?

Writing meme

I've been tagged at Shenanigans for a writing meme about 5 of my strengths as a writer and 5 pieces of writing advice.

1. I'm able to motivate myself quite effectively, whether it's by imagining myself getting stuck in or, if all else fails, thinking about how guilty I'd feel if I didn't write that day.

2. I approach writing as a job rather than a hobby. This has also helped me remain focused and motivated because if I saw my novel as a side activity to work I would never get it done.

3. I enjoy writing more than any other job I've ever had. 'Nuff said.

4. I am never complacent. I write at least 1500 words a day and monitor my overall word count.

5. Being a bookworm since I can remember has really paid off. I seem to have an instinct for what is good, bad, cliched and original. That doesn't mean that I don't make mistakes when I'm having a bad day or I'm tired - but it does mean I am not afraid to change it later.

And here is my writing advice:

1. Find out what motivates you the best, then stick to it. There are many writers who can treat writing like a hobby, who don't have to motivate themselves by leaving work or by setting themselves high word count goals. But this has worked for me so far and I've only found it out by trial and error.

2. If you want to write, just sit down and do it. Even if it's only 300 words a day it will add up.

3. Try not to let the negative in. I don't mean constructive criticism, which is essential. I mean people who criticise you for no good reason at all, who tell you the statistics are piled against you or even just a fellow writer who doesn't hold much truck for your method. If something works for you, stick to it. And if everyone listened to statistics then we'd never get anywhere.

4. Develop thick skin. (I'm working on this one myself by the way.) Learning to take constructive criticism is vital to becoming a good writer. If you want your work to be published you cannot write for yourself, you must write for the potential audience. Receiving negative feedback can be hard but if you toughen up, your work can only benefit.

5. Focus on the rewards. When I first started my novel it seemed like a mountain to climb. But when I finished my first draft it felt like an amazing achievement. When you are thinking of becoming a writer it's just too easy to let your insecurity prevent you from putting words to paper. But it is all worth it in the end.

And now onto the tags - I'm not sure who has done this meme already or not, so if you would like to give it a try then go ahead!