The Pick-Up Game

Not to beat this subject to death, but this morning I learned my grandson who participated in the basketball pick-up game mentioned previously, has decided he is more suited to individual sports and is joining the tennis team and came close to beating his dad in the St. Patrick' Day Run a couple of weeks ago, after only training for a couple of weeks.

So are we like this high school freshman, trying new things as writers, seeing what fits, finding what we are good at, no matter how old we are?

And by coming here, are we trying to turn the individual task of writing into a team sport? Are we playing in the pick-up game or in the championship, or just trying to figure out which we are a part of?

Carol

Marie,

That individual/team concept certainly does apply. I knew that. The difference is that one can see the improvement, when the score is higher or lower.

It is difficult for writers to see that improvement, our scores just don't change unless we're looking at the number of books that are sold.

Carol

I wonder if the number of books sold is the best gauge (that looks funny... guage.... hmmm...) to determine improvement or skill level.

As writers, we present our work to other people to judge, but just how much does what someone else thinks of our work have to do with how much we think of our work?

I may spend my entire life writing and no one else thinks it's worth a dime, but to me it may be priceless. Better said, the experience of writing is priceless.

Is it the end product or the journey that is most important?

I think both are important--product and journey.

Wht is the point of writing if no one ever sees it?

What is the point of singing if no one ever hears it?

If a person's singing is so bad that everyone cries or runs away--try something else.

If the writing is such a bore that no one wants to read it--why bother?

I need to finish my painting--look for it next time you visit the Louve.

I like the journey more than the destination, the process better than the product.

And then I think the process never ends.

Carol

I'm selfish. I write for myself. I sing for myself. I paint for myself. If someone else happens to enjoy it, hurrah! If not, it doesn't lose its essence just because someone else doesn't see it the way I do.

Merri,

I agree. How do we get these things in our heads that we've got to get the stamp of approval to feel we've written something of value?

Then this morning I got a message from a member of Tom's squadron, thanking me for sending him some info about the book, and fond remarks about a chapter I sent on his commanding officer when he was in the squadron.

He also said, Gee, Carol, I sure hope you get "When My Husband...." published. It'd be great reading for an old Crusader like me.

But then, that only says getting it out in the world in any way would have value, like playing basketball in the pick-up game rather than the team.

Yesterday I went to "The Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum." As I wife I have spent my adult life going to flight museums and air shows. I checked the book store, and there were no books written by women.

We need a voice. We all need to speak our hearts.

Carol

Carol and Merri,
We are all right--we are all very different people--reared differently--dfferent ages--different diseases etc.,

Merri, I have a sneaking feeling you were advised to write out your feelings as a way of coping wth cancer. You have done so very beautifully.

I was advised to do the same thing--I declined.

Why?

Because it would have benefitted no one.

Parkinson's disease is not cancer. There is no cure---only a progression.

To remain positive I have had to focus on something other than how I feel.

Carol,

I sincerely hope you get what you want. You deserve it.

Remember this--aim to please yourself . Surround yourself with people who accept you as you are.

Don't let other people set your agenda. Let them do as they wish--MAKE SURE YOU ARE DOING WHAT YOU WISH.

I'm like a lot of writers I know, hate to write (although I do it all the time) but like to have written something.

I like the team approach to nearly everything except writing. James Patterson, however, cranks out bestsellers by having a team of employees much like a syndicated cartoonist. If you can assemble a team of skilled people - a couple of plotters, a couple of writers, a proofreader, an editor, you are on your way to the big bucks. It may well be the coming thing.

Interesting, Dick. I was on a committee once to write a book for the state of Wisconsin. We all decided after our first meeting that a committee couldn't really write a book, but we all stuck at it and it didn't come out too bad.

Today the co-author of a program I wrote called and said the organization that has been printing and distributing our materials wanted to buy the rights to it. We want to have our names on it as original creators, and we will get some help with the legalities.

Things happen even when we don't feel like we are trying. We each can only do our best, hope for the best, tweak our writing to make it commercial if we choose to, and the rest is up to the publishers and readers.

Carol

I've been writing since I was very young. Oddly enough, no one suggested I write out my feelings about dealing with cancer, but one of the first things I did was keep a journal. Later I actually did write a book. The left hand side had a lot of facts and pieces of information about chemotherapy and radiation and what it was like to be a someone living with cancer. The right hand side had poems that I wrote about the things I had shared on the opposite page. It was a bit like a stone meeting a butterfly. Hard facts and then free thought. It was intended for my eyes only; however, you never know. It may find its way into a published book some day. Or not.

Quote :

We need a voice. We all need to speak our hearts.

Carol, would you mind if I borrowed this quote from you and placed in on my bathroom mirror? I love it and it will be a wonderful reminder.

Thanks for your kind words, Alice.

Merri,

You are welcome to use the quote.

I once wrote a book with a woman whose husband had died of cancer. She had written a journal. It took us a year, and afterwards she was ready to go on with her life and didn't want the book published. That was all right.

Now, after spending six months with a disability and surprisingly getting better, I want to write about that. It was like no other experience. Everything was a chore. I avoided visiting other people as I knew I wouldn't be able to use their bathroom.

I didn't keep a journal. I just came and wrote here!

You were my support group when I couldn't be with other friends. I am grateful.

Carol

Dick,

I am trying to get an elementary grasp of your hatred--which do you abhor more cats or writing?

Thanks, Carol.

I believe your book will be a great help to those who have experienced or are experiencing a disability as well as those who love them.

merrihiatt wrote:

I'm selfish. I write for myself. I sing for myself. I paint for myself. If someone else happens to enjoy it, hurrah! If not, it doesn't lose its essence just because someone else doesn't see it the way I do.

Does this apply to the books you write?

Alice, cats win in a landslide. I detest them, while writing is merely hard work that must be done. It's the job you go to every morning.

Dick,

Besides you get a lot of satisfaction and recognition from writing.

In keeping with this thread, your choice is hamsters.

Carol

Shelagh wrote:

merrihiatt wrote:

I'm selfish. I write for myself. I sing for myself. I paint for myself. If someone else happens to enjoy it, hurrah! If not, it doesn't lose its essence just because someone else doesn't see it the way I do.

Does this apply to the books you write?

Yes. Of course I need to add that I have never had the opportunity to work with a professional editor (which I would love to do), and that experience would most likely give me a great deal of insight into whether my writing is commercially viable. I have two nonprofessional editors (one is a teacher and one is a writer) who are gracious enough to give me their suggestions/ideas/corrections in exchange for a copy of the book they've reviewed.

If your target audience is you, then the books wouldn't be commercially viable, or do you think they would?

I consider myself to be "every woman" so to speak. I write what I would like to read myself. I also post the chapters on a private website where about 30 people read it and make comments. Most of them are every day people, definitely not in the publishing industry. Just folks who like to read a wide variety of genres.

Commercial publishers are looking for books with mass appeal and small press publishers are looking for books with a wide appeal (though not mass market). Your books sound as though they fit into the niche market category and would be ideal for Publish America.

Until you can write for others, your readership will be small. When I part with my money, I want to feel that the author was writing for me.

I appreciate your comments; however, I disagree. A person could drive themselves crazy trying to write for an audience -- painstakingly agonizing over every word to make sure it fits some preconceived notion of what a good book "should" be.

It's similar to writing a song. I write the song first, then if it needs tweaking, I tweak it. If I were to sit down and think, "What kind of song would appeal to the masses? Maybe I shouldn't express this thought or that thought lest someone disagree with how I've expressed myself," there would be little point of actually being creative. Unless I was just in it to make money. Which is fine if that is someone's main goal. It isn't my main goal. I want readers to connect with my characters in a way that makes them feel as if they are real. Because that's the kind of book I like to read. Again, it goes back to my selfish nature.

I enjoy reading books with good character development and a storyline that has a few surprises and doesn't get bogged down with so much detail you find yourself skipping paragraphs to get to the more interesting parts.

As far as the recommendation that PublishAmerica might be the best choice for my books, I don't agree. I write mostly romance novels, science fiction and poetry. PA is not a good outlet for these genres. If I wrote about something very unique or set apart, PA might be a possibility. However, knowing their business model, I would not recommend them to anyone.

So, once again we are either in the pick-up game enjoying ourselves, or playing on the team, trying to get those points, impress the coach, win the game, and hopefully still enjoying ourselves.

Shelagh, Merri seems to enjoy what she is doing and not asking for more. (I think she tried the PA route.)

If an author believes what one has written would benefit others through entertainment, information or inspiration, then they need to join the team.

I think Merri wants to inspire.

Writing is such a difficult endeavor in which to participate.