One of the true pleasures I enjoy is
when I open up an email and see that a story is attached to it. It
happens on quite a regular basis. Some
of the stories are from other writers I’ve known for years and just want to get
my feedback on certain aspects of the story or certain characters or just want
to let me read it ahead of the hoi polloi.
Then there are the stories I get
from those aspiring writers who labor under the belief that I actually know
what I’m doing and are looking for some constructive criticism about their
prose. It’s a a pleasure to get those
stories as well. And I’m not going to
sit here and lie to you and say that it’s not flattering as hell that a writer
would put himself out there like that and send out their literary child to be
examined by a stranger who just may well flay it alive over a pit of red-hot
coals.
But I don’t do that. Really.
Even on that rare occasion where I receive a story that…needs work, let’s
say…I do my best to be supportive and provide the necessary encouragement while
attempting to be realistic and practical without being a complete and total
dick about it.
But there is one thing that grinds
my grits to no end…
I can never understand why someone
would send me a story and feel the need
to add to the email something that usually goes like this or some other
variation: “I really appreciate you reading this story even though I know it
sucks.” Or “This story is just so much crap and I’m probably wasting your time
asking you to read it.”
My question is this: if you know the story is crap or it sucks
and you wrote it then why are you
asking me to read it? Apparently you
must think I like reading crap. In which
case you must not think much of me to begin with. Or maybe you think that by you coming out first and saying it’s
crap or it sucks that you’re getting a jump ahead of me and cushioning the blow
if it turns out that I don’t like it.
How about this: let me read the story and let me decide for myself if the story sucks
or not. There’s absolutely no upside to
you making up my mind for me before I’ve even read Word One and prejudicing me
against your own work. And in my
experience, 9 times outta 10 the story is nowhere near as crappy as the writer
thinks it is. Matter of fact it usually
turns out to be pretty damn good.
And when I say this one on one to a
writer he’ll usually email me back something that reads along these lines; “Well,
that’s easy for you to say. You don’t write crappy stories.”
Say wha?
Of course I write crappy
stories. Every writer does. The difference is this: you’ll never see the
crappy stories because the only stories I send out are the ones that I know
without a shadow of a doubt represents the best work that I can do. The crappy
stories I leave on my hard drive until I can rewrite them until they ain’t crap
or I decide to give them up altogether.
And believe me, the amount of crappy stories I have written are considerable
to say the least.
Okay, glad to have gotten that off
my chest at last. So we’re clear on
this, right? No more sending me stories
with a little “I know this story sucks” note attached, okay? Don’t worry. If it is
that bad, I’ll say so. And then I’ll
roll up my sleeves and get to work to help you make it better.
So why are you still sitting here? Go get busy writing.
Hey would you read my totally awesome and brilliant story? Hey wait a minute, why am wasting my time here, I already know its brilliant. Good-bye.
ReplyDeleteHahahaha...that would be the other side of the coin.
I actually wouldn't mind that, Ron, because that at least shows some confidence and pluck.
DeletePatricia says that I don't understand why people do that because I've got a ego the size of Texas. Maybe so but I look at it this way: getting published and getting your work to a receptive public is hard enough. Why knock your ownself down and put mental barriers up yourself in your own head? Even if you feel as if you've written crap internally, externally act as if you've written "Moby Dick"
But my favorite--and maybe a sign I'm not the mentoring type--"This part doesn't matter because wait till you get to the ending!" Me--"Um, you are aware I'll have to read the beginning to get there?"
ReplyDeleteOh, yeah...I've had more than a few of those myself. I know exactly what you mean, bro.
DeleteI've been on the receiving end of this as well. One of the factors, I think, is that a lot of creators don't give themselves room to be brilliant, or to take credit for their work. There seems to be a culture of it, especially in fandom, in which people talk themselves down, supposedly so people can talk them up. It doesn't seem to be so much about writing a good story, but getting an ego boost.
ReplyDeleteGood point, Miranda. I appreciate you taking the time to both read and share your thoughts.
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