Soooo true.
I wrote a novel just for my own enjoyment and didn’t intended to submit for publishing. As a result, while I put a lot of thought into it – I enjoy reading good stories, regardless of who wrote it – I made no effort to make is “marketable”. My arm was twisted and I ended up sending it to my publisher. He promptly broke it into four books (it was a HUGE novel) and published it. That sucker ended up holding four of the top five spots on Fictionwise for about six months.
Art imitates life. Ha! I totally get it. I’ve done some intricate stripwork and get nothing, Post a silly little sketch from the sketchbook and the floodgates open. Okay, on second thought maybe I don’t get it. Go figure. Love the consistency of the stripwork on Squid Row.
Pete! Tell me how you write like you don’t care. I’ve cared desperately for several stories…that just die on the vine (after months or years…) Did I love them too much? What’s your advice?
I DID care about the story. I didn’t care about whether I published it or not. For me, the value of the story is in the story itself, and not how much money it can make me. In my very fortunate case, however, I was able to write with abandon AND sell the stories I wrote.
TIP: Write like YOU are the only reader you want to please. Once you start writing for your fans, editors, publisher, etc., the project takes on a different flavor. I generally write for myself, then let my editor and publisher revise my manuscript to be appealing to the masses. Fortunately, I’m a pretty normal person, because my manuscripts rarely undergo much change. About 99% of what I wrote in a novel will see print unchanged.
I think when you care TOO much, you get constricted somehow. You are afraid to do something bold… you get overly careful. When you care LESS, it allows you to become free-r. Stay loose and don’t get too attached, I suppose.
With art, I guess knowing that there is always more canvas or paper would allow you to say…. hey, if I muck this up, I’ll just do another… it’ll be more refined in the next one. I should try this with cartooning…. except there are deadlines. sigh.
Thank you for the compliment MJ. I strive for consistency.
And Gosh, Pete… good goin’ on the “write for myself” top four spots!
Sing like nobody is listening.
Work like you don’t need the money.
Love like you’ve never been hurt.
Dance like nobody is watching.
It has become cliché, sorry. It is however apparently a twisted Mark Twain quote. He included “Live like it’s heaven on earth.” but not the work one which would make sense for him.
-Rob
Well said!
Drive it like you stole it.
— Kona’s corollary
Soooo true.
I wrote a novel just for my own enjoyment and didn’t intended to submit for publishing. As a result, while I put a lot of thought into it – I enjoy reading good stories, regardless of who wrote it – I made no effort to make is “marketable”. My arm was twisted and I ended up sending it to my publisher. He promptly broke it into four books (it was a HUGE novel) and published it. That sucker ended up holding four of the top five spots on Fictionwise for about six months.
*heh*… You just never know.
Art imitates life. Ha! I totally get it. I’ve done some intricate stripwork and get nothing, Post a silly little sketch from the sketchbook and the floodgates open. Okay, on second thought maybe I don’t get it. Go figure. Love the consistency of the stripwork on Squid Row.
Pete! Tell me how you write like you don’t care. I’ve cared desperately for several stories…that just die on the vine (after months or years…) Did I love them too much? What’s your advice?
Hi, Jude.
I DID care about the story. I didn’t care about whether I published it or not. For me, the value of the story is in the story itself, and not how much money it can make me. In my very fortunate case, however, I was able to write with abandon AND sell the stories I wrote.
TIP: Write like YOU are the only reader you want to please. Once you start writing for your fans, editors, publisher, etc., the project takes on a different flavor. I generally write for myself, then let my editor and publisher revise my manuscript to be appealing to the masses. Fortunately, I’m a pretty normal person, because my manuscripts rarely undergo much change. About 99% of what I wrote in a novel will see print unchanged.
Hope that helps!
I think when you care TOO much, you get constricted somehow. You are afraid to do something bold… you get overly careful. When you care LESS, it allows you to become free-r. Stay loose and don’t get too attached, I suppose.
With art, I guess knowing that there is always more canvas or paper would allow you to say…. hey, if I muck this up, I’ll just do another… it’ll be more refined in the next one. I should try this with cartooning…. except there are deadlines. sigh.
Thank you for the compliment MJ. I strive for consistency.
And Gosh, Pete… good goin’ on the “write for myself” top four spots!