Rachel here:
Donald Maass has graced the writing world with a new fiction craft book. “The Fire in Fiction.” The opening chapter is worth the price of the book.
Maass talks about the status seekers of publishing and the storytellers. While there is a little bit of storytelling in the status seekers and a bit of status seeking in storytellers, each author has a strong leaning.
Starting out, we all feel committed to the process. We will advance step-by-step, no matter what it takes, we’ll achieve excellence. We want to be the best.
But, we grow impatient. After one manuscript with a crit partner we shuffle the manuscript off to agents or editors. We see other writers in our “class” moving ahead, signing with an agent, getting a full manuscript request.
I remember at the first ACFW conference over hearing buzz about a writer who’d blown the socks off Tracie Peterson who took appointments for Bethany House that year.
My stomach knotted. While I wanted to rejoice with this writer, all the people I talked to lost neither their shoes nor their socks. In fact, a few yawned mid conversation. What was wrong with me and my stupid ideas?
I prayed and kept writing. I looked at what I did have going on in my own backyard. I was co-writing with someone who opened the door to Heartsong for me. Rumor at that same conference was Becky Germany was going to buy our book!
About then, 2002, agent buzz was growing. Do I sign with an agent? Should I talk with one? Submit manuscripts? There was one at the conference. Should I talk with him? My gut said no, so I waited. The Lord opened a fabulous door for me a year and a half later.
It’s hard to wait. We hear publishing news and we get the sensation the narrow door to publishers is closing fast and we’ll be like Indiana Jones making a mad dash for the narrow opening at the base of the stone door.
Publishing is not a mad dash. It’s a calculated, yellow brick road journey. We stay on the road with a goal in mind, meeting people along the way who can help us, and learning what we need to learn. Dorothy matured in her own heart along the yellow brick road to the Emerald City.
Status seekers are too anxious for publication. They don’t hear advice, “wait.” They jump from idea to idea, genre to genre. They can be impatient, demanding. Eventually, they may reach publication but then become focused on the next deal, marketing and promotions, who’s doing what for them. They might jump agents and publishers because they think they aren’t moving ahead fast enough.
Story tellers look to tell a better, more powerful story. Maass writes, “they look to themselves to be more successful.” They don’t look for marketing and promotions to top their last book sales, they look internally and say, “Write a better book!”
My friend Debbie Macomber one said, “I’m a twenty-five year over night success.”
Debbie worked her craft. She stayed steady. She’s been with the same editor for twenty years. I should be so blessed in my career.
What are you? Status seeker? Over eager, over anxious, not listening to counsel? Or are you a storyteller?
All you need to be aggressive with yourself is you backside in the chair writing the best “next” book you can. Looking in, not looking out.
Pray hard!