Comments on: Get Published, Part 2 – Why Good Isn’t Good Enough http://storyfix.com/get-published-part-2-%e2%80%93-why-good-isn%e2%80%99t-good-enough Novel Writing Tips & Fundamentals - Storyfix.com Thu, 29 Jul 2010 12:15:20 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Must-Read Writing Articles for the Holiday Season http://storyfix.com/get-published-part-2-%e2%80%93-why-good-isn%e2%80%99t-good-enough/comment-page-1#comment-1929 Must-Read Writing Articles for the Holiday Season Tue, 29 Dec 2009 10:47:16 +0000 http://storyfix.com/?p=1703#comment-1929 [...] Get Published, Part 2 – Why Good Isn’t Good Enough [...] [...] Get Published, Part 2 – Why Good Isn’t Good Enough [...]

]]> By: Larry http://storyfix.com/get-published-part-2-%e2%80%93-why-good-isn%e2%80%99t-good-enough/comment-page-1#comment-1563 Larry Tue, 08 Dec 2009 02:52:06 +0000 http://storyfix.com/?p=1703#comment-1563 @Sara - to stick with my analogy here in this response to your comment... not every new player wins the first tournament they enter. Nobody does, in fact. Very few writers sell their first book, fewer still on the first submission. So while it is indeed daunting, you need to submit to the process and hang in there. You're stuck with these odds, but anyone who has published has found a way to beat them, eventually. You get to decide if that will be you. When that will happen, hard to say. Impossible to say, in fact. But as long as you're growing your craft, rather than spinning your wheels with the same level of understanding and execution, you'll keep moving toward that goal. Read, study, write, repeat. That's the formula. Because after the "study" and "write" middle parts of that equation -- most writers forget the "study" and just think they can "write" their way into print... probably not -- the next time you come back to the "read" part you'll begin to notice things about stories that you never have before, and from that new awareness you are then able to instill little touches, artful nuance, based on your evolved and enlightened understanding (yes, there's more going in within a successful story than a casual reader is even aware of), into what you write next. And on it goes, a cycle of growth, that will eventually lead you to the point at which your story, and you, are both "good enough." To expect to conquer such a huge obstacle on one's first try... frustrating. To work hard, using this formula, toward the point where it's actually possible... priceless. @Sara – to stick with my analogy here in this response to your comment… not every new player wins the first tournament they enter. Nobody does, in fact. Very few writers sell their first book, fewer still on the first submission. So while it is indeed daunting, you need to submit to the process and hang in there. You’re stuck with these odds, but anyone who has published has found a way to beat them, eventually. You get to decide if that will be you. When that will happen, hard to say. Impossible to say, in fact. But as long as you’re growing your craft, rather than spinning your wheels with the same level of understanding and execution, you’ll keep moving toward that goal.

Read, study, write, repeat. That’s the formula. Because after the “study” and “write” middle parts of that equation — most writers forget the “study” and just think they can “write” their way into print… probably not — the next time you come back to the “read” part you’ll begin to notice things about stories that you never have before, and from that new awareness you are then able to instill little touches, artful nuance, based on your evolved and enlightened understanding (yes, there’s more going in within a successful story than a casual reader is even aware of), into what you write next. And on it goes, a cycle of growth, that will eventually lead you to the point at which your story, and you, are both “good enough.”

To expect to conquer such a huge obstacle on one’s first try… frustrating. To work hard, using this formula, toward the point where it’s actually possible… priceless.

]]> By: Sara Fraser http://storyfix.com/get-published-part-2-%e2%80%93-why-good-isn%e2%80%99t-good-enough/comment-page-1#comment-1558 Sara Fraser Tue, 08 Dec 2009 01:45:09 +0000 http://storyfix.com/?p=1703#comment-1558 Ah, man. I know I need to hear this, but I don't really want to hear this? I'm in the query process and like the previous commenter, am in a constant state of wondering if I'm good enough. I don't think I am. Yet. :D Ah, man. I know I need to hear this, but I don’t really want to hear this? I’m in the query process and like the previous commenter, am in a constant state of wondering if I’m good enough. I don’t think I am. Yet. :D

]]> By: J.Morgan http://storyfix.com/get-published-part-2-%e2%80%93-why-good-isn%e2%80%99t-good-enough/comment-page-1#comment-1550 J.Morgan Mon, 07 Dec 2009 20:16:49 +0000 http://storyfix.com/?p=1703#comment-1550 L.B "I'm always amazed at how you can write a post or series of posts just when I need them." My writing career is just beginning to take off and I find myself on the precipice, I've struggled and am still struggling with that immortal question. "Am I good enough?" It seems to be the question that most of my life I've asked myself... and admittedly I've stood in my own way many times when I've had an opportunity. I've gone up and down left and right, asking my friends and family looking for some kind of pat on the back or encouragement. But in the end none of it really mattered. So I thought.... I pulled my hair and screamed to the heavens..........and in then I reread my manuscript. I hadn't done it in over a month because I've been working on a new one. I looked at it with fresh eyes and an open mind. I realized that my first instinct was right. I am good enough, and even if my first book isn't a best seller. My next one will be. I nearly fell prey to that fear in the back of my mind because what I thought about getting published turned out to be harder than I thought. That I didn't get the "Oh my god you're amazing!" on my first manuscript. But when I thought about how hard it is. How many writers get rejected many times before ever getting published once.....I realized that life isn't always just how you want. But if you're willing to work at it. You can make your dreams come true. L.B “I’m always amazed at how you can write a post or series of posts just when I need them.”

My writing career is just beginning to take off and I find myself on the precipice, I’ve struggled and am still struggling with that immortal question. “Am I good enough?” It seems to be the question that most of my life I’ve asked myself… and admittedly I’ve stood in my own way many times when I’ve had an opportunity. I’ve gone up and down left and right, asking my friends and family looking for some kind of pat on the back or encouragement.

But in the end none of it really mattered. So I thought…. I pulled my hair and screamed to the heavens……….and in then I reread my manuscript. I hadn’t done it in over a month because I’ve been working on a new one. I looked at it with fresh eyes and an open mind. I realized that my first instinct was right. I am good enough, and even if my first book isn’t a best seller. My next one will be.

I nearly fell prey to that fear in the back of my mind because what I thought about getting published turned out to be harder than I thought. That I didn’t get the “Oh my god you’re amazing!” on my first manuscript. But when I thought about how hard it is. How many writers get rejected many times before ever getting published once…..I realized that life isn’t always just how you want. But if you’re willing to work at it. You can make your dreams come true.

]]> By: Dale Ivan Smith http://storyfix.com/get-published-part-2-%e2%80%93-why-good-isn%e2%80%99t-good-enough/comment-page-1#comment-1547 Dale Ivan Smith Mon, 07 Dec 2009 16:09:23 +0000 http://storyfix.com/?p=1703#comment-1547 This is vital to understand in order to succeed as a fiction writer. I was at a convention recently and the editor guest of honor said, "it isn't enough to be good, be brilliant." Meaning, be a brilliant storyteller. Funny how we all get obsessed on becoming a brilliant writer, and often forget that it's really all about story. Developing that sense for the killer idea seems hard, but it's necessary. I appreciate your focus on this. Is there one technique or tip you have on identifying that killer idea? (Reading widely and recently certainly helps me, and knowing what one likes as a reader -- as you mentioned in 101 Tips--is very important.) Thanks as always for these posts! This is vital to understand in order to succeed as a fiction writer. I was at a convention recently and the editor guest of honor said, “it isn’t enough to be good, be brilliant.” Meaning, be a brilliant storyteller. Funny how we all get obsessed on becoming a brilliant writer, and often forget that it’s really all about story.

Developing that sense for the killer idea seems hard, but it’s necessary. I appreciate your focus on this. Is there one technique or tip you have on identifying that killer idea? (Reading widely and recently certainly helps me, and knowing what one likes as a reader — as you mentioned in 101 Tips–is very important.)

Thanks as always for these posts!

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