A Shared Responsiblity

As I sat there this weekend thinking about what to write for this week's blog, my mind combed over a conversation I had with my critique partner.  As was common (for she is constantly looking to improve and surpass herself), she attended a workshop and learned a great deal about infusing her writing with more emotions. As she shared what she learned and what she would do to implement it into her latest work, she paused and said, "This is going to be hard." I agreed of course as that was the truth but then she followed it up by a statement that demonstrated her excitement to get started and her willingness to do the work. Thatta girl!

Quite frankly, I must say that we writers are some of the most resilient and hardworking people I know. I've also hammered home that it is a responsibility of ours to be this way; otherwise, there is no way to preserve the quality of works that enter the world. Readers share this responsibility in their support of the industry and the works out there.

So what does all this mean in an industry that is ever-changing? In simple terms, it means to do the best job that you as an individual can. In an environment of traditional publishing blending with e-publishing blending with self-publishing, it is not hard to get your work out there. The struggle now comes internally as to whether our work is ready to be "out there" for the public. If you can't be completely proud of your work, then don't expect others to be. The last thing I'd like to point out is this world is also a world of varying tastes. It is the very crux of our nature to be unique and diverse and it is something that either gets us in trouble or advances us to the next level. When you are ready to push your work to the next level of publishing (whichever avenue you choose), don't hold back based on rejection or varying tastes. You will never please everyone and rejection is an inevitable part of life.  Think of it this way, just as you are working to get your best work out there, that agent or editor or peer reader, etc., has a shared responsibility to do the same. At some point, if all goes well, we'll meet each other half-way.

Happy Writing folks!

Filed under: Toni Kelly, Writer's Life, Writing Topics