Being Perfect

Like large chunks of the population of the USA, our family has the TV tuned into March Madness.  Except for my daughter, everyone in our family, me, my husband and five sons played some high school basketball.  The college tournament showcases a lot of teams that aren't usually featured on national coverage.  Sometimes those 'no name' teams are huge underdogs and pretty much expected to lose.  But once in a while, one of those newcomers to the big show beat the favorite.  Sometimes they have success beyond their wildest expectations.  But to do so, they have to play nearly perfect.  No mistakes, no turnovers, make their shots, in other words they need to be nearly perfect.

I'm sure many of us have read a book by a bestselling author and found mistakes. Spelling, grammatical or perhaps what appears to be a sagging middle or plot hole. Perhaps we thought some of the dialogue was still and unnatural or a character was unlovable, or some other weakness that we suspect would be unacceptable for a new author trying to sell that first manuscript.  Writers published by small presses are sometimes closely scrutinized for the quality of the editing and the substance of their books.  Writers who work for small presses or who dare to self-publish are the underdogs against the big names in the publishing show. To come out on top against these well-established and well-known book publishers, the independents have to walk closer to the level of perfection.  Their book isn't going to get published or isn't going to sell because they've sold twenty other bestsellers before this one.

But like those underdogs in the March Madness basketball games, the excitement of being part of the game, reaching that level of success, will inspire great performance.  We often hear sports announcers saying a player is giving  110%, which is impossible of course, but like those players, new authors have to work hard, giving full effort and perhaps for a long time, if we are to reach the next level in the bracket and reach the finals of the big show.

So are you into March Madness? Have you read some books from bestselling authors that don't seem to have the same level of editing as in previous novels?

Professional Writers

New Word: 
Lucubrator- One who writes scholarly material.

Is your writing an enjoyable hobby or is it your profession? I know many people, myself included, work full time jobs to pay the bills but still call ourselves writers. Where is the delineation between professional and recreational writers? I know dozens of people who would love to make their living as a writer, stay home, and leave the old 9-5 job behind forever. Does having that other career, teaching in my case, mean I can’t claim writing as my career?

I think there are a number of things to mark a professional writer and being published doesn’t have to be one of them. A person serious about a writing career will pursue opportunities to improve their craft by attending workshops and conferences. Pennwriters is a group I count on for such opportunities. They will work with critique partners and join communities of writers, seeking out those of like mind.
A professional writer will commit to the time needed to create works, edit them and make contacts with others in their profession. This means more than sitting at the keyboard for a few hours each day. In today’s world a writer must network with readers and fellow authors. Another aspect of this is the willingness to spend time on a piece of work to improve it. How many times will you willingly rewrite and edit a manuscript or story? Is there a limit to the changes you’ll make in your masterpiece?
Does writing one piece a professional make? Will you write that one story and circulate it until kingdom comes or will you continue to create new work, each piece an improvement over earlier works?
Are you committed to a writing career forever or are you giving yourself a certain amount of time to make it and then you’ll give it up if you don’t? I know a teacher who took a leave for one year to write a fantasy novel. He did and he never sold it. He quit trying. I don’t consider him a professional writer. You have to be in for the long haul though there are those who’ve made it big with a first novel.
How many rejections can you rise above? Will you keep going no matter the frustrations and disappointments? Experienced writers will warn you of the rejections to come but even when expecting them they can hit you low. And even once you’ve sold some books or stories, there is no guarantee you’ll sell the next one.
So are you in this business with eternal hope? Are you a professional or a hobbyist? Have you considered quitting? What keeps you going after being rejected?