This really great blog post got me thinking today.
There's a LOT of information available to writers at the click of a mouse. For me, this is a great thing. For some, not so much--it can be very easy to get overwhelmed by the sea of information and lose your perspective--or, even worse, your unique voice and story. Or, worst of all, hope. The internet is overflowing with news about the state of the publishing industry, the trials and tribulations one must endure to get published and all the dos and don'ts of writing.
Here's how I handle all the info:
I use a filter.
I happen to visualize my filter as an old school brass diving helmet. I have no idea why. But the point is, when I start to take in a barrage of information, I imagine myself settling the heavy weight of the diving helmet onto my shoulders and voila! The information is filtered and translated into something manageable.
For example:
"ZOMG THE PUBLISHING INDUSTRY IS CIRCLING THE DRAIN!!!11" becomes "The publishing industry is being affected by the economy, just like nearly every other industry in the country."
"THE CHANCES OF A NEW WRITER GETTING A PUBLISHING CONTRACT? DO THE WORDS NEEDLE AND HAYSTACK MEAN ANYTHING TO YOU?!" becomes "It will be challenging, but not impossible, to get published. Don't quit your day job quite yet but persevere and believe in your work because new writers get publishing contracts every week."
"WRITE LIKE THIS! NO, LIKE THIS! BUT NOT LIKE THAT! ARE YOU AN IDIOT?!? YOU DIDN'T MAKE THAT ROOKIE MISTAKE, DID YOU? MAKE SURE YOU DON'T MAKE THESE ERRORS IF YOU EVER WANT TO HAVE A CHANCE OF GETTING PUBLISHED!" becomes "Here are some techniques and pitfalls to be aware of. For the most part, they are not things to tattoo on your forearms but rather guidelines to have in the back of your mind as you develop your own narrative style and voice."
See the thing is, the world of writing and publishing is very volatile and full of drama. I've made a commitment to it, for better or worse, so I need to have a way to cope with the drama. A way to turn the mountains and valleys into bumps and potholes, if you'll pardon the terrible analogy.
That's where my filter comes in.
I hope all of you have your own filter. The internet can be a pretty scary place for a "young" writer, but it doesn't have to be.
2 comments:
Good advice for anyone on the internet. It is the same in all creative pursuits, people will tell you that you have to do something a certain way, when the reality is you should do whatever works for you. Filters are a good idea. Mine are big fuzzy pink earmuffs :)
Fuzzy pink earmuffs are way cuter than my diving helmet. :)
And great point about the cross-application -- no matter what you're using the internet for, you're bound to find a billion people telling you a billion conflicting and/or disheartening things about your endeavor.
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