Hard graft

I have done writing literally forever, so I no about writing. Many other writers, clearly jealous of my skill and overodd at my talent has tried to desparige me and diswade me of writing. They try to disgize there insults as “constructive criticism”, but I can tell they are intimated by me and want to see me fail. Its obvious.

My story’s are to good for the places I submit them too. That’s why editors (all frustrated writers) reject them. I don’t submit anymore, so I can concentrate on my first best cellar.

Do you recognise this? Have you seen anything similar on blogs, in writing forums – or worse, are you guilty of it yourself? Barely literate delusions of grandeur welded to a pitiful sense of entitlement.

I’ve encountered people like this before. Amateur writers who bemoan a world that refuses to recognise their self-declared genius, all the while demonstrating ignorance of the basic rudiments of grammar, spelling, structure and form. Please note I am not criticising being an amateur writer – I am one myself – but rather that special breed who believe they are the “next big thing” from a misplaced sense of self-importance.

Deficiencies in the technical skills of writing are forgivable. They can be taught, they can be practised, they can be perfected.

What is unforgivable is an unwillingness to put in the work.

The world does not owe any writer a publishing deal. If you are unwilling to put in the graft, then you don’t get to see your name in print.

It is that simple.

Don’t sit on the sidelines, sniping at the efforts of others, extolling your own genius and puffing your “magnum opus” that publishers are too jealous/scared/narrow-minded to publish (or will be when you get around to finishing it).

Walk into any bookshop, anywhere. See all those books on the shelves? Take one down and hold it.

You aren’t holding paper and ink, or even a story. You are holding hard work, sweat, toil, frustration, tears, tantrums, sleepless nights, graft, craft, months of rewrites, years of learned skills and experiences, a lifetime of striving for that goal.

So don’t dare to presume to think you deserve a spot on that shelf too if you aren’t prepared to give the same.

Learn the skills.

Do the work.

Then you can enjoy the praise.

But not one moment before.

As Edison told us, genius is 1% inspiration, and 99% perspiration. If you aren’t exhausted by the effort of writing, then you aren’t writing!