Dear Reader, Issue 3, Volume 2
Submissions, sickness and the subject of hard writing.
Dear Reader:
I made two submissions so far in 2023: one fiction short story for Factor Four Magazine and the other a non-fiction slice-of-life essay for
. I wouldnāt normally submit non-fiction as itās not a market with which Iām familiar, but I saw Billās request for guest authors come across my feed and it clicked. I wrote the first draft in a few hours, ran it past the āeditorial boardā and then submitted a week later after a few edits.Other than those small victories, I have done little writing lately. I became sick over a week ago and instead of getting better the symptoms moved from one location on my body to another. Iām finally on the mend, with a slight dry cough, but itās a continual reminder that I donāt write to heal or process my emotional or physical state of being. Iām quite useless when Iām not feeling well.
I sense that I may be in the minority. Many authors have shared that writing is a healing salve, applied liberally during terminal illness, family turmoil and unexpected career changes. Anyone who can do this has my deepest respect and admiration. I can only write when the valley is in my rear-view mirror, a reflection of terrible things that can shape my output, but that does not motivate me.
Is Writing Hard?
The sickness got me thinking about writing and if I consider it hard. You know now itās almost impossible if Iām not healthy. But what about when the stars have aligned, my wits are about me and Iām determined to write? The answer is no, writing is not hard. Of course, that statement alone requires me to define āhardā, just like one might define āsuccessā.
Hard doesnāt indicate I can make a living with it. Iām not concerned about the business of writing because like so many other paths we take in life, thereās a fair amount of luck involved. I also have a full-time career. If the business finds me, so be it. Hard also doesnāt refer to length of time at which I can sit and write. I suppose if my back allowed, I could sit for days, weeks, months or years and write.
When people ask if writing is hard, or authors make allusions to the difficulty of writing, itās often in reference to the act of constructing a solid story or narrative. Itās putting coherent, well thought out sentences, paragraphs and pages together, in order to tell a story worth remembering. That is not hard and Iām a firm believer anyone can do it. Whether or not everyone will enjoy the way I do it is another question altogether.
I think some writers want to believe itās hard because that would give meaning to the failures. What if I enjoy this activity and others are entertained, but it does not reach the intended audience of gatekeepers who are the chief arbiters of accolades? Or, in contrast, what if financial success follows, but it sinks beneath the weight of future expectations? In those situations, itās easier to say that writing is hard and not everyone can do it.
Instead, I prefer the alternative view. Writing is not hard. Stories have scales, or even incalculable vectors that help them reach (or miss by wide margins) mass appeal. Sometimes itās related to quality, a voice thatās quite different from the norm, exposure to the right audience or even the prevailing political winds that day. For one to say, I liked that story, could mean that thousands of other readers hated it.
If youāre a writer, and you find it hard, ask yourself why itās so challenging. If youāre constrained, paralyzed by the fear of rejection that awaits you upon finishing a story, then itās possible itās not an issue of easy or hard. Allow yourself the freedom to be dismissed, and you should find your stories write themselves, unencumbered by outside bias.
Good or bad, whatever that may mean, those stories are meant to be told, and told with ease.
Happy Reading,
Brian Reindel
A famous musician (I canāt remember who) was asked if songwriting was hard. They said āWriting songs is easy. Writing great (hit) songs is hard.ā I think this applies to āwritingā also. Most seven-year-olds can write a story. But it probably isnāt up to publisher standards.
With practice, anyone can write a quality story. But that is the easy part. Writing one that resonates with readers, then finding those readers is the hard part. There is infinite competition (because writing is easy) and the traditional publishing route is narrow and fickle. Self-publishing overcomes some obstacles, but creates more. The odds of fame, wealth, or even a livable income are not good either way. So writing is easy and hard. š¤£
I am talking about creative writing, not non-fiction or journalism, which are entirely different types of writing and markets.
I am similar to you. If I am not in a good mindset, I canāt write well. Nor do I have any desire to. I donāt journal and writing is not therapy for me. It is simply a creative outlet I enjoy.
I think I agree with you. Generally, the act of writing isn't hard. It's everything that comes after that is hard. Being willing to be dismissed is definitely a big part of that! I've found that for me everything about writing got easier when I decided to post it online for anyone to see. Now the hardest part is trying to keep a schedule š