What is up with this attitude we writers seem to have? Okay, I am not exactly wet behind the ears, but even though I have been out and about for a while, I never came across this attitude anywhere quite as severely as I have in writer world.
I was actually thinking about this anyway because I had just left my local conference. Seems like anytime you bring a bunch of writers together you get to hear stories of how mean we are to each other. Then I bopped over to Romancing the Blog and got a gander at Karen Gillespie’s article. Now I respect that Karen voiced her opinion and she is completely within her rights to have it, but here’s the deal…why do so many of us feel this way? Why do we have to have someone who we can look down on and say “I’m better than you are.” ?
Being an honest person, I have to admit I had a similar reaction under similar circumstances as what Karen describes. A few months ago a local magazine had a self-pubbed author on their cover. Then I walk into big box book retailer and see posters of said author annoucing a book signing. My petty ugly side came out–I am human. But I quickly realized I was JEALOUS, yep, jealous. This woman had the gall to do a better job of promoting herself than I did. Exactly who did she think she was?? Petty, ugly side of me was instantly smacked down to hopefully not be heard from again for a long time.
So what is up with authors feeling the need to rank everybody? I have heard way more horror stories about this than I care to know. Some of my e-pubbed friends were dressed down in the elevator one year at RWA National. Told something like, “You know you aren’t as good as us. So why don’t you quit pretending?” not an exact quote, but you get the drift. On a loop last month an author pubbed by one of the smaller NY houses said that bigger houses looked down on authors pubbed by the smaller houses–she actually said they thought we reeked of dog doo. Now I really doubt the big houses give a rat’s ass if you are published by a small house if they think they can sell a bunch of your books, but I have no doubt there are authors are out there who like to look down their noses at anyone published at a smaller house than them.
I find the whole thing sad. There are great books out there self-pubbed, e-pubbed and not pubbed at all, and if a poorly written book gets published by any means–how does that hurt me? It isn’t like the house next door to me has a car up on blocks in their front yard. It isn’t going to lower the value of my writing. But then what do I know? I’m dog doo, and what can dog doo afford to look down on –maybe worm doo?
despite all those contests, it’s not a zero sum game.
by Kate R May 18th, 2005 at 2:47 amUh, Kate, ??
by Lori May 18th, 2005 at 2:52 amLori
Hi Lori,
It was great to meet you this past weekend and I really do wish you great success. I can’t wait to read your book. In respose to your post, I think we have been conditioned to always try to one up each other. It’s a sad testament to where we are now, when we, especially women, can’t simply find joy in the efforts of others. I have yet been able to prove that another author’s success is in direct proportion to any failings having to do with my own career. But like you said… what the heck do I know. On that scale you mentioned, I might actually be lower than dog poop… and you know what… I’m okay with that. ;)
by LG May 18th, 2005 at 9:38 amA lot of writer envy is reinforced by the various industry entities who advocate cronyism and awards-by-jury. They set you up to classify and compete.
I pursued publication in the equivalent of a cave in Tibet; I never met another writer until after I was published. Then I met some very unhappy examples, right off the bat. I was so freaked out by what they were like that I couldn’t envy them. I was too busy going “Whoa, is that going to be me in five years?”
I have my moments of envy. It is hard for me to shut up when I see writers getting attention for I did just as well — or better — while I’m ignored. It’s hard to be polite when someone hate-mails me for no reason other than (evidently) I’m getting more attention than they feel I deserve.
I don’t know how to handle it other than to stay focus on the work. The only writer I compete with is me. The only writer I alternatively despise and envy is me. That’s my kill-the-envy mantra.
by PBW May 18th, 2005 at 7:13 pmLG - Yeah, I’m okay with dog doo too. I’ve never had a huge need to be at the top of the pile.
by Lori May 18th, 2005 at 8:39 pmPBW - Aren’t writers funny? I mean the alternating despising and envy? I think that is the one thing most of us have in common, the roller coaster ride from “I am the greatest” to “I completely suck” and the fun part is it can take place and repeat itself multiple times in any given day.
I have my moments as well, but it only makes me want to succeed even more. Not because I want someone else’s success, but because I want my own. I think bad attitudes can be contagious too, so maybe we writers need to think about who we’re hangin’ out with if we want to keep an even keel ;)
by MartyK May 19th, 2005 at 6:09 pmOops!
I was quoting from PBW:
by D. Angel May 19th, 2005 at 7:45 pmD. Angel - I don’t know why your quote didn’t show up–it showed in the email to me. :) And, yeah, I guess the contest thing does do that. I have always been a big believer in competition, but in something like books (creative field) there has to be a certain part that will always be just a matter of opinion, so (IMneverHO) no one should let something like a contest win go to their head.
by Lori May 20th, 2005 at 1:56 amMarty - Energy vampires are out there. No doubt about it. I’ve encountered them–pubbed and unpubbed, NY pubbed and e-pubbed. Too bad garlic doesn’t work on them too.
Energy vampires — now, there’s a novel in that phrase….
by PBW May 20th, 2005 at 9:01 amEnergy vampires?
There’s one by Susan Krinard if you feel like going to search for it. Though the more accurate term might be dream vamps.
by D. Angel May 20th, 2005 at 2:07 pmPBW, when you write the book and make the NY Times list, please mention me on your blog. I’m not proud. I’ll take crumbs.
by Lori May 21st, 2005 at 12:44 amKind of wrote the dream/vamp book already, D. It’ll be out in October. I know the Krinard you’re talking about, though — I think the title is Prince of Dreams. Very good book.
Lori, that last comment made me aspirate green tea, so I’ll probably die of pneumonia now and never make the Times. Remember me fondly.
by PBW May 21st, 2005 at 6:58 am