You Can Lead A Horse To Water (But You Can't Make It Write)

I am not the most successful author out there (a glance at my tax returns will tell you as much), but I try to do my part to help other writers whenever I can. That goes double for fledgling writers, who have all the spark and creative verve one could ask for, but who have no idea how to turn it into paying work. They, understandably, are looking for answers to basic questions. Questions like, "what do I do with a novel when it's done?" or, "how much can I get for a short story?" Most of the time the big question they ask is, "how do I get started?"

First things first. Choose your weapon.

The difficulty I've run into is that, for every writer who is completely serious about making that leap to the professional realm, I run into five who really aren't. This isn't to say they're bad writers, or that they can't produce great work. However, if someone doesn't have the bit between their teeth, there is nothing you can say or do to put it there.

You Can't Light Someone Else's Fire

To be clear, being a writer and being an author require two very different sets of skills. If you just want to be a writer, then you have total freedom. You can write what you want, when you want, and however much or little you want. And you don't have to please anyone but yourself. If you want to go pro, though, then suddenly you are no longer the one calling all the shots. Now you have to produce on a regular schedule, you have to keep the content coming, and you have to ask how well the work you're producing is going to play with the audience you're trying to find.

And if they don't like it, then you are the one who has to change what you're doing.

Deadlines don't care how much NyQuil you're on, either.

There are a lot of folks out there who really dig the writing part. The process is satisfying, they enjoy the flex of the creative muscles, and they like the idea of being able to get paid for doing something that brings them that kind of pleasure. However, they don't adjust to the change in skill set required to make money as a writer. Everything, from hitting a deadline, to producing every day, to self-promotion, marketing, and brand awareness just isn't something they want to be a part of. And, for some of them, they get so frustrated by that whole apparatus that they just don't work on any of their projects at all.

And you know what? That's fine.

Why is it fine? Because if someone else isn't willing to roll up their sleeves and put the pedal to the metal, that is not your problem. You can sit in the passenger seat and give them all the driving advice in the work, but they are the ones who have to start the car, and head out onto the road you're directing them to.

So the next time you lead someone to water, just leave it at that. Don't beg them to drink, don't get them a cup, and for the love of all things holy do not try to push them in if they don't want to go. Because sure, you can get invested in someone else's success if you're trying to help them out. But you are trying to offer a hand up, not carry them up the whole damn mountain. If they won't climb on their own, then shrug your shoulders, and get back to your own hike.

If they want it badly enough, they'll meet you at the top.

That's all for this week's Business of Writing. If there are any other frustrated attempted mentors out there, pop into the comments and share some of your experiences. If you like what I'm throwing down, then follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter. Or, if you'd like to help me keep doing what I'm doing, head over to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a patron, or Buy Me A Coffee. Either way, there's a free book in it for you as thanks!

Don't Compare Yourself to Other Writers (Seriously, Don't Do It)

Do you know Julius Caesar? That fellow who rose through the ranks of the Roman army, fought wars against the Celts in Gaul, brought back a fortune in tribute, along with an army of personal guards and foreign legionnaires, and practically crowned himself Emperor of Rome? The guy who began the line of Caesars, and whose title was the model for the Czars and Kaisers of the modern-day? The man who swept down to Egypt, and with a wave of his hand (or other body parts, if you believe the rumors) decided who the new ruler was going to be?

You know, THIS fucking guy!

So, what does the man who strong-armed one of the greatest empires in history do in his free time? Celebrate his awesomeness with impromptu parades? Pose for badass statues to be carved? Host a wild rumpus with his staff and supporters? Well, if you were Julius Caesar, you wept at how unsuccessful you were compared to your idol.

You see, the whole reason Julius was in Egypt in the first place was because he was making a pilgrimage to view the body of his idol; Alexander the Great. Alexander, for those who don't know, conquered most of the known world by his late 20s, established cities bearing his name like he was opening up a restaurant chain, and remains one of the most legendary figures recorded history has ever boasted. Julius was no slouch, but his empire was so much smaller, and he'd come to rule it so many years later, that all he could think about was how he didn't measure up.

Don't Do This With Your Writing

We all have our idols when it comes to writing. Those authors whose work thrilled us, and who made us decide that "author" was the answer we were going to give when career day rolled around. In many instances our idols are responsible for the genres we work in (or start off working in), and the styles we adopt before we discover our own voices. All those things are fine... but seriously, don't compare yourself to your heroes. In fact, don't compare yourself to anyone, if you can avoid doing it.

Or you might find yourself making this face. A lot.

Now, I don't mean you shouldn't compare your work to other authors in order to make a sale, or to explain your style. For example, if someone told me their novel was a hard-boiled medieval fantasy about a spy trying to prevent an assassination that read like the love child of Dashiell Hammett and George R. R. Martin, I wouldn't be able to get my wallet out fast enough. However, if I were the author of that awesome-sounding book, I wouldn't focus on trying to meet the achievements of either of those two authors.

The reason why is simple; I'd be comparing apples to oranges.

Books, despite all being rectangular bits of portable magic recorded on dead trees, are not things you can compare objectively. While there are numbers you can compare, such as copies sold and awards won, those numbers are made up of so many different factors that they're meaningless in any practical sense. If you were trying to match a weightlifting record, or run a race in a faster time, then those are instances where you're trying to do the same activity as someone else, but better. However, your idols already wrote their books. You can't do the same thing, because you're writing a different book.

So embrace that. Write your book, and step out into the sunlight. Drink it in, water your roots, and someday it's likely that you'll be the one inspiring someone to put words on the page.

Hopefully this week's rant didn't jolt anyone, and no one tripped on my soap box on the way out. If you'd like to help support me and my blogging efforts, then stop by The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to keep the tap turned on. As little as $1 a month can make a big difference! Lastly, if you'd like to keep up-to-date on all my releases, make sure you follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter, too.