tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post6372918620711985680..comments2024-03-22T12:11:58.453-06:00Comments on Michael Offutt: You're a brilliant writer but so are millions of people you've never heard ofMichael Offutt, Phantom Readerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10557969104886174930noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-67214243755780970442014-04-24T15:22:59.395-06:002014-04-24T15:22:59.395-06:00I love your candor!! :-)I love your candor!! :-)Choose a Lanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14122670769784567561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-55432525614138273232014-04-22T08:03:48.098-06:002014-04-22T08:03:48.098-06:00There was a story on NPR recently about luck and t...There was a story on NPR recently about luck and the role it plays in having success as a creative person. The results of the experiment - you have to be lucky.<br /><br />I'd say you have to lucky AND good (not great, mind you, just good). But I'll say that a good story is a good story regardless of genre. I've critiqued chic lit, women's fiction, literary fiction, and all sorts of other stories. I might not read that by choice, but that doesn't mean that storytelling elements just disappear when you jump genres. Any thoughtful writer should be capable of giving an honest critique that benefits an author when the story being critiqued is outside their chosen genre. I'm not sure I'd trust an author who is incapable of broadening their horizons that much.Rusty Carlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09887821877521181811noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-28666162191947011582014-04-21T22:39:22.133-06:002014-04-21T22:39:22.133-06:00The closest I ever came to a writer's group wa...The closest I ever came to a writer's group was for playwriting. It was small and enjoyable when we read funny ten-minute plays as a group, and one night we performed productions in a member's back yard. But the most dominant members had the least amount of talent and definitely exhibited jealousy of other members' success, so eventually the group fell apart.<br /><br />Luck is indeed a big factor in getting traditionally published, and so is salesmanship. There's really no logical pattern here. And storytelling is such a natural human impulse that of course there are millions of us who can write books or shows or plays or movies. But finding a cure for cancer? Building a better rocket ship? Now that's tough.<br />Helenahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14967821142796562697noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-14751753991271027182014-04-21T19:57:38.706-06:002014-04-21T19:57:38.706-06:00I've been in a few writing groups and i didn&#...I've been in a few writing groups and i didn't find them very helpful, for many of the reasons you mentioned.stephen Hayeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17659054447637207734noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-34943211864099334362014-04-21T17:07:30.313-06:002014-04-21T17:07:30.313-06:00Luck is just as important as skill. But you have t...Luck is just as important as skill. But you have to have the skill before you can have the luck.<br /><br />How do you get lucky? Ah, that's the magic...Liz A.https://www.blogger.com/profile/16531953467834426316noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-58256522887665668072014-04-21T16:38:06.684-06:002014-04-21T16:38:06.684-06:00My eyes glazed over on this one, but then again, m...My eyes glazed over on this one, but then again, my eyes tend to glaze over a lot of things.<br /><br />True--how do people manage to write 50,000 words of pure garbage, and then expect praise and adulation.<br /><br />See you tomorrow.Susan Kanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09834094675218254410noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-15524928298417379552014-04-21T16:22:42.926-06:002014-04-21T16:22:42.926-06:00You're right about this group needing to get o...You're right about this group needing to get out there and get slapped with the reality of the publishing world. You just don't fully under stand what your facing until you publish..either traditional or Indie.<br /><br />One has to really enjoy writing to keep going knowing the odds. Most people that are having success in the Indie world are cranking out a novel every two months. There's no way I could ever do that. And those novels are usually romance, which I don't even write. Cindyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07922596724107742478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-40363705462460075002014-04-21T14:00:39.059-06:002014-04-21T14:00:39.059-06:00Plenty of successful writers are terrible and load...Plenty of successful writers are terrible and loads of nobodies have huge talent but never make it. I don't know if self-publishing is the future or not but it certainly shows there's more than one way to sell books and make money.<br /><br />mood<br /><a href="http://moodywriting.blogspot.co.uk/" rel="nofollow">Moody Writing</a> mooderinohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01523337588830695638noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-58975807848050032472014-04-21T11:51:50.150-06:002014-04-21T11:51:50.150-06:00Well said, Micheal.Well said, Micheal.J.L. Campbellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05666634455836834179noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-50220746462457713212014-04-21T11:27:09.537-06:002014-04-21T11:27:09.537-06:00Yeah i think you were pretty spot on. I mean, i do...Yeah i think you were pretty spot on. I mean, i do think if you have the talent (and like legit talent. Not the kind where you think you have talent but you really don't. You know what i'm talking about) --so if you have talent and you work really hard, i think there's a decent chance you'll make it.<br /><br />But it's not a guarantee. The universe doesn't owe anyone anything.<br /><br />So, yeah. there's definitely some luck involved. And other things. Like, i could be marvelously talented, but if i'm writing books that are weird and hard to market, i'm going to have an uphill battle, regardless.<br /><br />There are definitely a lot of variables in people's success.<br /><br />And this bit:<br /><br /><i>Most people who write shouldn't be writing. They don't have the talent. The ones that do have the talent get recognized and get publishing contracts</i> <br /><br />is some straight bullshit. Neither parts of that statment make sense. Anyone should be writing if they want, and there are some published authors who are not talented and there are definitely some mega talented writers who are not published.Sarah Ahiershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02795455714801965956noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-696037910577465032014-04-21T11:27:07.579-06:002014-04-21T11:27:07.579-06:00never played but seen that banana word gamenever played but seen that banana word gameAdamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08051255914419363819noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-24879139535755641542014-04-21T11:23:17.789-06:002014-04-21T11:23:17.789-06:00I agree with almost everything you have here.
And,...I agree with almost everything you have here.<br />And, yeah, I don't much believe in writing groups. I was involved in one here for a while, but I quickly discovered that my goals were unique in the group, which was mostly women. Mostly, the other members of the group were doing memoir or wanted to write essays for women's magazines. It's impossible to get adequate feedback from a group like that when you're writing sci-fi/fantasy novels.<br /><br />The only thing I'd modify in your post is that the end of it implies that it's the recognition that makes someone not mediocre. Someone is only cream if they make the money. I'm not sure if that's what you meant to say or not, but brilliance, as you said in the earlier part of the post, is not dependent upon recognition. Some people are supremely mediocre but happened to make it big anyway.Andrew Leonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13964775673414653644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-46203689753202483252014-04-21T10:40:23.973-06:002014-04-21T10:40:23.973-06:00Online writer's groups are annoying.Online writer's groups are annoying.PT Dillowayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09394481476862013009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-59667452191932618482014-04-21T08:25:59.746-06:002014-04-21T08:25:59.746-06:00I belong to two writers' groups and they'r...I belong to two writers' groups and they're very supportive. Very few have superiority issues. I write romance, fantasy and science fiction but I read lots of suspense and mystery. Even though I'm published, I seldom feel qualified to give loads of advice and critique. If a writers' group isn't helpful or meeting your needs, it's best to leave them behind.Susan Gourley/Kelleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02669793865290876168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-21282906859060485862014-04-21T07:47:24.900-06:002014-04-21T07:47:24.900-06:00Well, Michael...
You hit it this time...SO TRUE! ...Well, Michael...<br /><br />You hit it this time...SO TRUE! IT is INSANE how talented so many people are. I appreciate it. And I absolutely feel that LUCK, TIMING, and PERSEVERANCE are key to a successful CREATIVE career.<br /><br />Just go back in history... HOW MANY ARTISTS of great talent starved? Now their paintings are fetching millions of dollars. It's so common and sad.<br /><br />And I feel sad for the writers who are SO STUCK in their genres and can't appreciate the written word of other amazingly talented writers.<br /><br />I, for one, LOVE to read works outside my genre because I see a fresh and different pov. A voice distinct and usual ... and a piece of the writer's heart and soul.<br /><br />Im my years, I've seen it all. And you are right, luck has a major part of success. And being in the right place at the right time...Michael Di Gesuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17047267262428143113noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-90760130468214180482014-04-21T07:09:33.492-06:002014-04-21T07:09:33.492-06:00I love the quote at the top. The quietly brooding ...I love the quote at the top. The quietly brooding megalomaniac. That's me. LOL. <br /><br />And, yeah, writers are a weird breed. I've always thought talent was pretty common with writers, artists, and musicians. Lots of people have creative ideas and can even execute them well. But there are often other factors that determine success -- like perseverance, objectivity, and even luck. <br /><br />Lots to ponder in this post. Luanne G. Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15762881276976395955noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-61531680451954979132014-04-21T07:08:32.304-06:002014-04-21T07:08:32.304-06:00The comments you've made here are sad but true...The comments you've made here are sad but true. I feel fortunate to belong to UR here online, as the authors DO read outside of their genre...and write in different genres as well. It makes a big difference.<br />It's too bad those writers you mention won't go online and get a feel for this new writing world and its bazillion talented people. It's an eye-opener.<br />George RR Martin published the first of his series around 1995, I think? In the first year he only garnered around 50 reviews - and they are clumped into 2 months so it seems like a publishers blitz of freebies to me. The point I'm making is it took a lot of years for the series to become popular and most of that was courtesy of HBO. I wonder if he would have had the same success with books only and no TV.River Fairchildhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15374958276717316437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-19710956545657210602014-04-21T04:55:04.600-06:002014-04-21T04:55:04.600-06:00There is a lot of talent out there. Some will make...There is a lot of talent out there. Some will make it, some will not. But to think one is rare, super-talented, and unique is unrealistic. Besides, people with that kind of talent do not boast. They are humble. <br />I have no problem saying I got lucky.<br />And never attended a writer's group. But one of my critique partners doesn't write my genre and she does an outstanding job with her critiques.Alex J. Cavanaughhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09770065693345181702noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-18962010559134865652014-04-21T04:07:10.542-06:002014-04-21T04:07:10.542-06:00I can never tell whether I can write well or if I&...I can never tell whether I can write well or if I'm just deluding myself. Certainly no agents are even willing to look at my writing to see if it's any good.<br /><br />I mostly agreed with you until you lumped Martin in with Meyer and Hocking. Martin is a fabulous writer.Ted Crosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09022309459554237650noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-44528198322661217052014-04-21T00:36:29.544-06:002014-04-21T00:36:29.544-06:00But maybe we as mediocre writers can feel like sta...But maybe we as mediocre writers can feel like stars next to peers of the same ilk. We know we like to write. There's a connection between creative minds. If you take away bestseller lists that leaves every author/writer at the same level, doing what we enjoy.<br /><br />It's just too bad we can't all approach writer's groups with this similarity in mind. I did join a writer's group online for about a week until I gave up. Everyone there was just out to destroy other author's works. It's money and prestige that makes writers act as though we don't enjoy the same type of craft. Writing isn't a competition with other writers. It's about what we like doing in creative ways.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com