More About Writing

 

To let you know, I managed to get over the problems I was having with my Heresy novel. I just kept writing out the issues, deleting words and paragraphs that led to the tricky parts in the first place and generally giving over more time to writing new material to get myself back on an even keel.

Short version: I finished the first draft of the novel at just under 90,000 words.

Now I’m taking a short sabbatical from the book so that I can get some distance. I never know what the right amount of time to take but I’m less than a week in and already feel like I’m wasting time, and yes, becoming a waste of space. So I’ve been writing more articles just to keep myself busy and now I’m looking at the next Sherlock story in my Zombie Slayer series, seeing if I can get any further with that.

Based on some pertinent student feedback, I’ve been wondering recently, what does one do when there’s no evidence that your artistic endeavors are worthwhile, successful, or even being noticed?

Now that we have the technology to track the impression our work has on people, it can be a sobering realization that in fact hardly anybody gives two figs about us or what we do.

Sure, the fantasy is that everyone loves us and can’t wait to see our next piece of art. But that’s not really how it works, especially now that the internet is so huge and growing daily. The average artist, writer, musician, content creator, whatever, simply can’t compete, gain a decent foothold - or barely generate casual interest in their creations.

Unless we pay for advertising of course, which is the problem with promotion, and always has been. You can’t break through into people’s consciousness unless you pay.

But what if you can’t afford to buy ads?

Simple.

Stop doing what you do for money and recognition.

Do it only for yourself.

A lot depends on what we regard as “recognition” in the first place. I’ve been an online businessperson for over twenty years and I long ago gave up on the idea of using social media as a way of generating business. All of the pat advice given to anyone starting out simply doesn’t work, except on a limited scale directly proportionate to how much you are willing to spend on the massive media platforms: Google, Meta, LinkedIn, TikTok, etc., etc.

And believe me when I tell you that advertising online is hugely expensive these days.

Your average return on investment is going to be limited, if not negative. Trending on social media is something that only happens to cats and famous people and making easy money from being an Influencer is a fantasy invented by Hollywood.

The only way to make it online is to simply keeping doing what you do for love and hope that eventually people will recognize that what you’re doing is valid and good. That’s how it’s always been, even before the Net. Why do people believe that the Internet somehow gives you an advantage? Wishful thinking, mostly. In reality, the Net is merely a mirror, a reflection, full of all the depth, complexity, and unfairness that plagues the real world.

Fate, luck, and chance play a much bigger role in our success than we like to admit.

Yes, we have to do what we do well, and perhaps work with our target market in mind but it’s literally impossible to know what will hit, stick, and/or become viral.

We have to do “our thing” for love.

For ourselves, first and foremost.

Now I realize I’m not supposed to say these things. As a so-called “guru” I’m supposed to be full of hype, hope, and good news to inspire you and make you feel that everything is going to be okay and you’ll make it if you just keep at it. And I still believe those things. But the pragmatist in me asks: but what about the people this doesn’t work for? What do they do? What is my responsibility toward them?

I want to help. I see it as my destiny to inspire writers and artists to do their best work. And to do it with hope and a sense of their own destiny. But what if that doesn’t work?

The figures are against us. Eight billion people on the planet. We can’t all be on the A-list, nor even the B-list or the C-list. Most of us will have to get by on getting by.

But here’s a curious thought…

Perhaps “getting by” is enough.  

When I started my writing academy online, over twenty years ago, I was lucky. I earned enough to pay off my debts and eventually buy a big old house in the country, where we still live. We’re financially all right though sometimes I want to be as rich and famous as some of my idols, though I really don’t know why. I’m not very comfortable with the idea of fame and great wealth except as a conduit for doing good things for others.

So what do we all want?

A good life shared with those we love, doing the things that bring joy to ourselves and others. Yes, money comes from those things for some but not always. Sometimes people have to work too. At terrible dehumanizing jobs, I know. The world sucks. For many of us.

To be honest I don’t really know the answer but I know it’s probably something to do with looking for The Answer with hope in our hearts while nurturing a positive attitude.

Not as inspiring as you’d like, perhaps, but at least it’s real.

Keep Writing!

Rob Parnell’s Writing Academy