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Creating a piece of work that is recognized not only by your peers, but by the general public, as brilliant and unique would be a huge accomplishment in itself. To then achieve not only universal admiration, but commercial success and wealth is the ultimate goal of many writers, to be attained by a precious few.
It is also the attraction that draws so many would-be writers into the game, with success and recognition as the primary motivation, instead of a love for the subject matter, or craft as their primary driving force. It creates an impatience for results (for some, a desperation) that can actually hinder the creative process. We live in the age of fame seekers, where reality-type TV shows attract countless misguided souls, possessing neither talent nor a sense of decency (or any sense, for that matter), who are more than willing to make fools of themselves for a chance at fame. There are many who seek literary fame as well, chasing a lucrative deal with a major publishing house and dreaming of the day when their book will be on shelves everywhere. It is no surprise that the industry feeds these desires. It is easier than ever to publish one’s own book, and once published, there are services to sell, represent, advertise, or otherwise market and distribute it to the public. Of course, all of the services in the world are no guarantee for recognition or commercial success. None of this is really a problem except for the fact that it is very possible and even tempting to be lured into the chase for commercial success, only to lose sight of the real reason to write – for the love of writing. Without a focus and passion for the writing and for the book’s subject matter, it is not possible to achieve fame or success as a writer. When Stephen King started writing books, he didn’t set out to become the legendary, best selling writer of horror fiction, ever. More likely is that he had some scary stories to tell, and he really wanted to tell them. Fortunately for readers, he happened to be very good at it. Anyway, this is starting to sound very cliché. Most writers are completely on board with the idea of being a writer first and self-promoter/salesman (or woman) as needed, and many writers make a whole-hearted commitment to the craft for their entire lives, and don’t even give a second thought to whether or not they make the NY Times bestseller list. Think of this note as a supporting voice to all writers who are being bombarded with endless sales tactics, promotional gimmicks, and paths to fame and fortune – it’s OK to be in it just to do what you love. That’s what it is all about. The world already has enough salesmen and fame seekers! |
