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Whispers, warmth, and the things that could make life glow. |
| I received a call late yesterday from an author I work with regularly. She’s written a sweet, well-intentioned book. It isn’t the kind of book I would normally pick up and read, but it’s interesting in its own way. She was extremely upset about the publisher’s notes. The publisher had requested the full manuscript and told her they wanted to publish the book, but only if it met certain criteria. The notes were blunt. They took the manuscript apart piece by piece and essentially asked her to rewrite the book from a completely different angle. That conversation made me stop and think about motivation. Why do we write? Why do we send our work to agents or publishers? What is it we actually want? For me, the answer is easy. I write because it brings me joy to tell a story. Whether I send it to an agent, a publisher, or no one at all, the act of writing itself matters to me. And it brings me even more joy knowing that someone read my work and enjoyed it. Her answer was different. She wants to be popular, rich, and regarded as a successful writer. That’s a fair ambition. It’s just not mine. My number one motivator is the love of writing. I also value knowing that a reader connected with something I created. But not everyone will like what we write. You can never expect that, and you shouldn’t. Just thinking out loud here. The publishing world is incredibly competitive and full of obstacles. You can be the best writer in the world, and if the editor reviewing your book simply doesn’t connect with it, you may never even receive a rejection letter. That editor is making an important decision about your work, but it is still just one person. If one person’s opinion is enough to kill your joy or your desire to keep writing, then writing for publication may not be the right path for you. So, what am I really saying? Do not let one person dictate your future. Do not let one opinion squash your joy. And never let someone else decide whether your stories are worth telling. Write because you love it. Everything else should come second. |
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