Have you heard the saying we rise to our lowest level of incompetence? It means in regular jobs that we keep getting promoted until we reach a job we really can't do all that well and then there we stay, no longer proving we deserve promotion, so we are stuck in the job we are bad at...
I feel a lot like I've somewhat mastered writing a pretty good story, and I am pretty decent at getting an edit done, and so I am forever doomed trying to get the darned things OUT THERE. I suck at the query or the framing and promotion for self publishing, or any of these other things that are supposedly necessary, so here I am stuck with this stuff I HATE.
Then again I am facing a rewrite for the Amazon Contest right now and I am not even quite convinced anymore I can write a book...
But I AM making progress (FINALLY) on getting the later books of A Shot in the Light up and out, so that is something.
How about you? Have you hit your lowest level of incompetence? What is it? What do you do to master it?
And if any of you are interested in being supportive reader friends as a resolution next year, I encourage you to look at my LAST post. I'd love you to join!
Now go see some MORE insecure people.
26 comments:
I've reached the point where I feel pretty confident about my novel-writing skills, and I feel my work should be considered by trade publishers...but it isn't, because I am terrible at writing queries and blurbs and synopses. I don't even WANT to be good at those things, as they don't interest me, so I'm stuck with indie publishing.
I started writing short stories to kick start my muse after finishing the trilogy, and now I'm not sure I have the due-diligence to write another full length novel. That would be my lowest level of incompetence; to never finish a complete novel.
Good insights here Hart. I know you will do well in ABNA; but wishing you good luck anyway.
I am condemned to look over paragraphs that have promise, tweak a word here and there, smile, save, and put the manuscript away, only to open it again a day later, look over paragraphs... Sigh. Great post!
I feel like I hit that with my fiction writing. It's been so hard to get back into it and I don't feel like I am any better at it than I was four years ago.
I know I've gotten better at some aspects of my writing but there's still plenty of work to do. There's always room for improvement in my case. :)
YOU ARE a great writer. I enjoy your writing bunches.
I'm even growing as a writing. I feel it in my bones, matey.
Dude. You can definitely novel. And you're a great writer. Your progress with previous ABTN proves that alone.
But yeah, i hear you on the other stuff. I find i get really whiny, because that's helpful.
I'm ready to take that step into incompetence. It's time to stretch and find a new way to tell a story. I like that kind of challenge.
I hope I am a supportive reader. My crit group has been going since '05 and what a great way to learn while you help others.
I think I hit it with my latest. Probably a good thing it will be my last as I don't know how to grow beyond that point.
When you hit that block it really sucks--you have to ask yourself if you want to stop here or beat a path to the other side. It's hard to beat that path, and it's uncertain if we'll get there, I think that's why we so often just stop.
Getting a story out there is the hardest thing to do. Don't give up, though. You'll get them out there, I truly believe that. Hugs!
I have only written poetry books but would love to try a story book some day. Excellent to read.
Editing is where I hit a brick wall. I feel as though I'm slogging my way through tar. I never feel like I know what I'm doing.
The best marketing is to publish a lot of good books, so don't worry if you don't think you don't market well.
And, thus, the desire to become successful. So we can pay other people to do the stuff we hate.
Like clean house.
I work for myself, writing for about 12 different clients...so no promotion at all. Although when I get really busy and someone new asks me to write for them, I propose a higher rate than what I'm currently making and they usually pay it. So I give myself a raise about once a year!
A critic, who I paid for a critique, tried to bury me in that dark place. She almost convinced me to stay put and pay rent. Thankfully, I dared to send my ms to another critic. He was very supportive, said what was great and what needed work. Said that he was interested in working with me to make the story first class. That's all I needed to pick up my wounded parts and carry on. Lesson? Be careful of believing someone (including yourself) that the situation is hopeless.
You had me at watery tart!!!
My brain lacks the capacity to formulate something witty and memorable...so I'm sending you a mental ISWG hug/fistbump/pat on the back...whatever non creepy supportive thing one can send to a total stranger who's feeling much the same...sending ether support....
Kara
Good luck with your rewrite (for ABNA?) and getting your other books out there. I'm constantly amazed by my own level of incompetency! lol
Whaddya mean, you're not convinced you can write a book? You've already written books! Books traditionally published! Books indie published! And damn fine books, in my humble opinion.
The trouble is, this business/art of writing entails publishing, which is soul-crushing, it's so tough to navigate and requires so much more work. Seriously, for me writing a novel ain't that difficult--it's publishing that is exhausting and nearly impossible. Ah well. Still we trudge onwards.
Hi Hart. Very humble post. Of course you can write a book. You're a wonderful writer, but you're not alone having trouble with queries. I love synopses too. Read the previous post in a hurry. Will come back and make sense of it when I have more time. I read a lot of blogger books but often don't make the time to review it. We all need a nudge.
Denise:)
Hi Hart. Very humble post. Of course you can write a book. You're a wonderful writer, but you're not alone having trouble with queries. I love synopses too. Read the previous post in a hurry. Will come back and make sense of it when I have more time. I read a lot of blogger books but often don't make the time to review it. We all need a nudge.
Denise:)
"the lowest level of incompetence" hmmm, what an interesting concept! This is making me think....not sure what mine is but as old as I am I've probably been there for quite some time.
This is an interesting concept. I think I'm there with you, dancing around the idea of publishing. Feels like standing on the edge of a cliff, but I'm trying to face down my fear. Aargh!
Yeah, I'm pretty much there with my current writing project. I was working on it the other day, and when I went to save a copy to a flash drive, I saw that it was over a month since I last saved a copy to that particular flash drive.
Uggh.
Father Nature's Corner
Goddess of the Water:
Best blog post in the whole stream.
Put a little more of you in the prose, in the characters.
Story is story. Character is love.
Dip the character in the bathwater a little and let's see more of you in them.
Emotion on the page keeps our hearts in the text.
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