Recently a new author joined my writer's critique group. Wow, she's good, I thought. Really good. She write's clean and gives wonderful critiques of my work too.
Happy day...or not. I found out she is in competition with me with a certain publishing house. A small publishing house. A publishing house with like four slots for new books.
Yikes!!
Her prospects look great far as I can tell. I thought mine did too but now I'm much less enthusiastic.
I told her I was depressed that I had to compete with someone as talented as her.
She, being a sweetheart, told me the same.
Though it's weird being in competition with a new friend, I'm really excited for her. When she gets the call and I don't, I think I'll be sad, sure. That's always dissapointing. Particularly since I wrote my latest novel with this publisher in mind, I will still be very excited for her.
I must be maturing. I don't think the twenty something year old Gina would have felt the same.
In this business, should I someday find success, I will find my sales compared to other author friend's sale numbers. I will (in my wildest dreams) be up for an award or two against friends. I will be competing in countless ways for readers and publishers.
I don't know if jealousy will be a factor, but I hope not. May I be content with my niche, my story, my audience. And if I don't get a contract on Demon Chaser, may I be content with waiting.
Yuck.
Wednesday, July 27, 2005
Competing With Friends
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Yep. The gold 'ol waiting game. It's the way it all works, I think. Publishing takes time. But one thing I try to remember. You don't become a doctor (or a nurse!) overnight. You don't become a published writer overnight too. Thanks for the good reminder.
ReplyDeleteI guess if I stop looking at it like I've been writing for eight years and start looking at it like I've only been novel writing for two, that's not so bad.
ReplyDeleteAnd when you figure I probably only write on average an hour or two a day, minus vacations, staring out the window and bathroom breaks, it probably really has been a couple months total.
Hey, I'm doing pretty good. Another Doogie Howser really. Yeah, I feel better now.
Not eight years...two months. :)
Lol! That's the ticket! And with each day, you get better and better.
ReplyDeleteAnd here's another angle: When you look back on now, say ten years in the future, you'll see your old stuff and probably cringe. :-)
Keep on truckin', Gina! You'll make it if you don't give up. Did you know that Bryan Davis, author of the youth series Raising Dragons, had his novel rejected over 200 times? The book has now gone through multiple printings and he's got four books in the series. Can you believe that? 200! Persistent guy ... We've gotta be the same.
200, huh? Only 75 more to go...Just kidding. Those stories always make me feel better. Seems all the great ones were rejected over and over and over and over.
ReplyDeleteI've still got two "overs" to go.
Thanks CJ. I'll keep on keeping on. You too.