Why Are Writers Such Dicks?

Writers, I’m convinced, vaguebook more than any other group.

I’m serious.  If my peers spent half as much time writing as they did throwing shade at each other online, they could stop being jealous of how many books I’ve published.  I personally have never really understood this attitude of, “I’m gonna piss on my neighbor’s garden rather than attempt to care for my own,” but whatever.  I got into writing, not for the abject misery but for the actual writing.  The abject misery is just a bonus.

I’ve been called a “prostitute” for selling my work, and worse.  And recently I’ve experienced a new tactic from those for whom “success” means winnowing out the competition.  Then, I guess, the mediocrity of whatever they’re managing to produce will be less obvious?  I’ve started to read little thoughts, shared on Facebook, about what’s “wrong” with my work.  Of course, I’m never mentioned by name and my books are never mentioned by title.  That wouldn’t be vaguebooking; that would require courage.  But the target is…obvious.  Vaguebooking can’t be too vague, or it won’t achieve its intended effect.

What’s the point?  To undermine me.  To the extent, ideally, that I stop writing.  You don’t get off on my erotica, my sex scenes are contrived, the psychology of my characters doesn’t make any sense.  A major component of bullying is the psychological warfare of convincing someone that they don’t have the right to be themselves.  That they’re not up to some abstract, as yet undisclosed set of standards and thus should accept the bully’s authority.  The bully knows.

Some of us understand that there’s more than enough success to go around and that, indeed, we all get a larger slice of the pie when we help each other to the table.  Some of us don’t.  Some of us also understand that we’re not in control of others’ reactions to our work.  Just like nobody gains fans from being told “become my fan,” nobody loses fans because someone else told them “you’re not allowed to like that person’s work.”  Telling someone “I’m the better author” is fine…if your apex professional goal is to look like a tool.  You’re far better off showing them that you’re, not the better author but worthwhile in your own right by actually writing a book.