There was a conversation in a forum today and I’m too peeved just tell one person off. I wanted to share this with many people.
To begin, someone wanted to learn how to write well. We’ll name him Bob. Bob does other kinds of work, and he’s interested in learning to write well and taking up some part time writing work. He explained that he’s interested in developing a skill and to look better to other employers, not because he really wants to be published. He wants to learn to write well enough, to understand where his grammar malfunctions are, etc. He wants some part time gigs writing to help him to learn in a real world interface, and with the Internet and the need for writers for it, there’s plenty of room for one more who is interested.
So Bob asked for some suggestions for books on writing in order to improve his writing skills.
Someone else, we’ll call him Toodles, states that Bob should really think hard about learning how to write. Toodles explains that, “Writers work hard to do their job, and it bristles our feathers when we hear someone else thinks he can do our job.” Toodles has an issue with someone who currently writes poorly to reconsider becoming professionally published. “Editors don’t have time to deal with poor quality writers.”
Woah, breux! Back up a little bit.
1. Don’t tell people what they can’t do. If Bob wants to send a crappy article to the New York Times, let him if that’s what he really wants to do.
2. He didn’t ask to be published, he asked for help on learning to write well.
3. Since when did learning how to write well have anything to do with wanting to be a professionally published writer?
Writing is not a talent people are born with. Some love it, others don’t. If Bob wants to learn a little bit of grammar and spelling I am not about to snub my nose and tell him to consider another line of work because he’s just not a gifted writer.
I didn’t know when I was younger how to write well, and I still make mistakes, but I’ve been published, multiple times, along with desires for more in the world of fiction.
It totally reminds me of one nitwit who wrote in to Miss Snark. I wanted to share the post with you. Forgive me, Miss Snark, for copying the whole thing, but I hope it’s justified enough.
First of all, whoever keeps saying I heart Miss Snark, please stop it.
Secondly, Miss Snark sees fit to conclude her brief encyclical with the following, somewhat over-sentimentalized bit of advice: “If it’s never published, so be it. YOU will have loved, understood, empathized, prayed, rejoiced and enjoyed. In the end, that’s all that matters.” Rubbish! Every serious writer worth his or her salt desires publication – craves understanding readers – dreams about affecting perhaps even influencing others with their original view of the world — in short, it certainly does matter. A lot. What’s the point of suffering through the act of creation if you truly believe that publication doesn’t matter? Far better, then, to just give up now chuck your manuscripts under the bed or into the fire.
First of all, anyone who wants to heart Miss Snark is welcome to do so.
Second, if you don’t like encouragement when things aren’t going well, take your little icicle ass off to someone else’s blog. This blog is not about telling writers to give up. This blog is about learning about how I, as an agent, look at work; how the publishing industry works; and the fact that writing is something I value. I would no more tell someone to give up writing cause it wouldn’t sell than I would tell my five foot ten nephew to stop playing basketball cause he’ll never make the NBA. The things he learns playing on the team will stand him in good stead for the rest of his life. Learning to write; and regular writing, can have a lot of value outside the marketplace. Just for starters it makes you a better reader, and a consumer of books..all things I think are just fine and dandy.
If the only reason you want to write is to impress and influence other people, I suggest you apply to work in the sign-making department of the MTA. Eight million people will read your words daily, and they’ll talk about it a lot. Oh, and here’s an extra metro card for your ego. I don’t think it will all fit through just one rotation of the turnstile.
Sentimental indeed. F off and die.
