I was thinking the other day as I made my way around blog land that there are two kinds of authors in this world. There are the ones who would bend over backwards to help another author out and there are the ones who’d step on your head if you were drowning so that they could reach the boat first.
I’m always kind of floored and uncomfortable when I meet the latter type author. It’s not that I don’t get the every-man-for-himself mentality. I do. I’m a fairly aggressive person, so I understand that aspect of a personality. It’s just that there’s a part of me that finds the ’shove everyone out of the way’ behavior kind of sad. I would think that if you behave that way there would have to be an aspect of you that would be lonely. It’s not like you’re going to have friends in the business. Anyone like that has made sure to distance themselves from the others. And anyone in this crazy business knows it’s hard enough to write alone, much less try to stand alone without outside support. I know that there’s a genuine belief that other authors are competition, so they must be kept at a distance. I suppose that’s true to a certain extent, but I don’t think it’s very healthy. I suspect it would make you fairly paranoid.
I personally can’t imagine doing this job without my friends in the industry. Sure, I have support at home. It helps that my significant other is published too, but no one understands this craziness like another fiction published author.
What do you guys think? Are you an island? Do you believe that every author is your competition? Or do you think that you get further making friends?
March 15th, 2008
No man is an island. I know you need non-writing friends because there’s life outside this crazy business, but inside this crazy business, you really need friends. Writing friends understand what it’s like, both from a business and a creative aspect, and I wouldn’t want to be without them.
I also suspect that nobody lasts long-term in this business with that mentality.
by Charli March 15th, 2008 at 6:04 pmEr, maybe I should clarify that I mean the “every man for himself” mentality, not the “we are all in the same boat so let’s paddle together and start building a mast” mindset. How can you stay afloat otherwise? ’scuse me, I need to get back to knitting a sail…
by Charli March 15th, 2008 at 6:19 pmI definitely need my writing friends to get through this. I know deep down inside we’re all competing against each other to an extent but I’m okay with that. I need friends who understand this business and I’m so thankful for them. They’ve helped me and I’ve helped them. I hope. LOL
by Karen Erickson March 15th, 2008 at 7:11 pmI appreciate the help.
by BernardL March 15th, 2008 at 7:56 pmI don’t believe in being an island. I’m a much better person and writer from all the friends I’ve connected with in this business. Do I believe in the competition thing? Yup. It happens. And will continue to happen.
by Vivi Anna March 15th, 2008 at 8:28 pmI think my comment might be so long, so I’m posting it in two segments. Sorry! Here goes… You know, I saw this same fearful, territorial attitudes you mentioned amongst some teachers when I was teaching. Some of them were so competitive, so protective of their methods, instead of joining together and sharing what they knew, both in order to support each other and to pool all the best methods in order to improve education for everyone.
by Caryn March 15th, 2008 at 8:33 pmI think all authors are islands, to some extent. Writing is a solitary business, and no matter how many friends/cheerleaders you may have, when you’re in the process it’s just you, the voices, and the vision.
HOWEVER, that doesn’t mean you don’t need help and support, or that you shouldn’t share those things. Authors who don’t are missing out on a great community of people out there. And I always try to remind myself that the only person I should be competing against is myself and my previous efforts (please note word “try”, lol).
by raine March 15th, 2008 at 10:36 pmCharli, I would think that they wouldn’t survive for long, but you never know.
by Jordan March 15th, 2008 at 11:18 pmCharli, *ggg* Knit faster.
by Jordan March 15th, 2008 at 11:19 pmKaren, It’s weird. The only time I get panicked in this business is when I start thinking about it being a ‘me against them’ attitude. Things flow far better if you keep the competition with yourself.
by Jordan March 15th, 2008 at 11:20 pmBernard,
You and me both.
by Jordan March 15th, 2008 at 11:21 pmVivi, Thinking about it being a competition makes me crazy. Seriously. I can’t look at it that way or I’ll never get anything done.
by Jordan March 15th, 2008 at 11:22 pmCaryn, I don’t think that mentality is limited to writers. I think anything where people feel threatened will bring out the ‘every man for himself’ attitude.
by Jordan March 15th, 2008 at 11:23 pmRaine, I agree that when the writing takes, unless you’re a duo, you’re on your own until you type ‘the end’. I have to believe that I’m only competing with myself. I wouldn’t be able to write otherwise. And yes, sometimes it’s hard
by Jordan March 15th, 2008 at 11:25 pmI’m not competitive and am just grateful for the first kind of writer.
by Bernita March 16th, 2008 at 2:46 am>>HOWEVER, that doesn’t mean you don’t need help and support, or that you shouldn’t share those things
COUGH!
by Amie Stuart March 16th, 2008 at 9:02 amI couldn’t do this all alone. Who the heck else understands the insanity that is a writer’s brain!?
Makes me curious as to what you’ve come across lately, Jordan.
Writing is solitary process, but it’s crazy to see everyone as competition and have a every man for himself mentality. (I’m like Bernita, not competitive at all–Raine once accused me of being more interested in the process of writing than being published. She’s right.) Other writers are the only ones who can understand the process, fears, highs, challenges involved. Why wouldn’t you want to *genuinely* share with and support each other?
I don’t look at it in terms of getting further by making friends. That’s not why I make friends. Friendships happen. That’s why I had to stress ‘genuinely’ the the previous paragraph, because, unfortunately, there are peeps there who conduct themselves with something far less than sincerity. It’s not pleasant to watch in action or to experience personally.
by vanessa jaye March 16th, 2008 at 10:16 amTesting to see if I can post this — I keep getting a weird error when I try the longer version.
by Lynn March 16th, 2008 at 10:37 amOkay, that one worked. So the longer version, edited and abbreviated in case the original was too long:
I’m an island with ferry service. Tourists are welcome for a brief visit, but only friends are invited to stay. And I like being an island that isn’t completely cut off from civilization. I can send out the ferry when I want company, and shut it down when I don’t.
I’m my only competition. That way when I surpass myself, everyone wins.
by Lynn March 16th, 2008 at 10:49 amBernita, I can be competitive, but I don’t tend to push people out of the way in the process. Not worth the effort in my opinion.
by Jordan March 16th, 2008 at 11:17 amAmie, Some people don’t. If you look around carefully enough, you’ll spot the types I’m talking about.
by Jordan March 16th, 2008 at 11:18 amI prefer to think of myself as like the Florida Keys, a long line of linked islands, and where you can’t get to Key West without braving the 7 mile bridge. But there’s friends at the end with drinks and good food, and a friendly place to sit and watch the sun set.
by Ann March 16th, 2008 at 11:20 amNo writing friends? What a sad world that would be. I keep on in this crazy profession because of the support and encouragement of those friends. Non-writing friends can’t possibly give you the same understanding.Fortunately I am yet to meet one of the second kind or writer but I’ve met many of that type in other fields of life so I know they’re lurking around the corner.
by Anonymous March 16th, 2008 at 11:46 amFor some reason I was able to post above without my name. Anyway it was me, Suzanne.
by Suzanne Perazzini March 16th, 2008 at 11:48 amVanessa, Actually, I haven’t encountered anything like this personally. It was just an observation I made by watching a couple of authors. I have personally ran into the overzealous group that picks your head for information that they can use to further their own careers, but not the ones that would walk over you.
by Jordan March 16th, 2008 at 12:00 pmLynn, Sorry about that. You have to break long posts up or it thinks that you’re trying to spam my comments. :/ I like you win-win approach.
by Jordan March 16th, 2008 at 12:02 pmAnn, Nice way of thinking. *g* I’m suddenly in the mood for a Bloody Mary.
by Jordan March 16th, 2008 at 12:03 pmSuzanne, You can always post without your name. It’s not required here. It’s just the long posts that freak it out. *ggg* I’ve seen the creature who doesn’t care about the other authors around them, but I haven’t personally encountered them.
by Jordan March 16th, 2008 at 12:04 pmIslands usually have a habit of being hit by hurricanes, or tsunamis. I’d rather be a life preserver.
Great post, Jordan. Congrats on the release of OFF LIMITS and Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
by Bonnie Vanak March 17th, 2008 at 8:51 amGiven how success in this industry often comes down to sheer luck (as in, you can write an amazing book, but if it happens to clash with current market needs, or an editor has a bad day, or an agent drops the ball somehow, then you’re screwed) I think seeing other authors as competition is waste of time and energy.
As Lynn said, I compete with myself to write a better book every time. I let other authors take care of themselves unless asked for assistance, and then I help wherever and whenever I can. Not only because I’m a fantastically nice person, but because I firmly believe that karma works. :p
by Selah March March 17th, 2008 at 10:15 amBonnie, Good point. They do tend to get swiped at often. *g* Thank you!
by Jordan March 17th, 2008 at 10:35 amSelah, LOL! Great points. Karma is bitch.
by Jordan March 17th, 2008 at 10:39 amJordan I haven’t either–personally–but I’ve heard of them…I’ve also heard how ti came back to bite them in the a$$. karma’s a mean one. I guess I miss those blogs….or don’t as the case may be =)
by Amie March 17th, 2008 at 12:31 pmAmie, I’ve been fortunate to view these folks from a distance. I’m not sure I’d handle the situation well up close and personal. *wg*
by Jordan March 17th, 2008 at 5:01 pmJordan,
I wouldn’t know what to do without my small circle of author friends. We’re always there for each other, celebrating the good, and cussing along with the other over the bad. However, what hurts more than anything is when you’ve been a friend to someone and then find out something they’ve said about you that really is painful to hear about. It makes one leery of reaching out a hand. It makes you stay in your shell even more and just take care of you.
Nowadays, I’m pretty content with my small circle of author buddies, women I know I can trust, and don’t reach out so much, anymore, to any new “friends.”
by Kimberly Kaye Terry March 18th, 2008 at 2:38 pmScarcity is a myth. I can’t imagine where I’d be without the authors who’ve lent a hand, a kind ear, a well placed word, and I won’t be the kind who doesn’t pay back and forward. But I also think that success is not finate, so I’m not worried someone’s going to ‘get mine instead of me’. Just like characters in books, we demonstrate what we’re really made of through action. At least you can see the parasites and avoid them.
by Ursula March 18th, 2008 at 4:17 pmKimberly, It’s hard once you’ve been burned. I had that happen very early in my career and it still hurts. It was a good lesson to learn in the long run. Made me take a hard look at those around me.
by Jordan March 18th, 2008 at 5:48 pmMissed this post earlier, but I know what you mean about the two types of authors. I don’t get it when authors aren’t happy for other authors over success, especially if it’s in the same genre. When a genre gets hot, that benefits ALL authors in that genre, not just the top tier of them. Jealousy seems counterproductive then. Plus, I wouldn’t want to do this without my author friends. There are so many times when no one but another author can relate to some of the “dark” side of publishing, lol, that I’d self-destruct if I were doing this alone. Writing a first draft can be done alone. Everything after that, for me at least, has had a lot of much-appreciated help.
by Jeaniene Frost March 19th, 2008 at 7:04 amTruly, I would not be where I am today as a writer or a person without my friends who’ve reached out to help and offer advice.
So many people have helped me over the years. Have supported me and cheered me on. When I first started out, I can’t tell you how many people reached out - and I’m so proud to say I count many of these people as friends today (while I still stand in awe!)
We all stand on the steps made by those who came before us. To pretend otherwise seems to me an internal failing. Gratitude is important. So I try hard to reach out too because I think this is a community and we can push people out the airlock or we can be as good as others were to us.
by Lauren Dane March 20th, 2008 at 12:45 pmJeaniene, Yeah, it’s amazing to view the various mentalities that exist in this business. I hear you about needing folks after that first draft. Heck, I needed folks for my partial. LOL!
by Jordan March 20th, 2008 at 2:44 pmLauren, I agree. The behavior is a choice. It’s just interesting to see what choice everyone makes.
by Jordan March 20th, 2008 at 2:45 pmUrsula, *** Scarcity is a myth.But I also think that success is not finate, so I’m not worried someone’s going to ‘get mine instead of me’.*** Well said indeed.
by Jordan March 20th, 2008 at 4:28 pm