WHY ARE YOU READING THIS? GET TO WORK!
by Bob Sassone
To tell you the truth, I almost didn't write this piece at all. I mean, look at
the title. Would readers read it and say, "he's right!" and not even click on the link because they would have an
epiphany and want to rush to their computers and notebooks to write, write, write?
Well...probably not. So thanks for sticking around. Let's talk about the discipline of writing, procrastination,
writer's block, addiction to queries, and some other things a writer must think about.
WRITING IS HARD WORK: Don't let anyone tell you differently. The only people who really think that
having a writing career is easy are non-writers, the ones who say "I could do that." But we know what we have
to live with: doing a bunch of work that we might not even get paid for, dealing with publications
that fold before they pay us, every day being a job search, etc. And it's even physically hard, as many writers with bad
backs and blurry eyes can tell you. And, just yesterday, I found out I have to have surgery for my carpal tunnel
syndrome. On both hands. Injured in the line of duty! Do I get a medal or something?
PROCRASTINATION: Beyond the actual writing (some may even say instead of the actual writing), a
writer's favorite pasttime is NOT writing. Like the old saying, a writer doesn't like writing but "likes having
written." I understand this concept fully, even if I don't agree with it completely. I actually enjoy
writing. Except, of course, on those days that I don't! Writers are more adept and talented at figuring out ways to put
off writing than anyone else. We can rationalize almost anything. "I'm watching this episode of
'Gilligan's Island' - it's the one where they almost get off the island but Gilligan screws
something up - for the 5th time only for research. You know, some day I might write a piece on
being stranded on an island." Or we'll check the mail for the 8th time in a half hour because the mailman might be
bringing something important like a check for that article we wrote last week or some other mail
that just can't wait. Or maybe that shower needs just a biiiiiiiiiit more cleaning. Or maybe I can call my friends and talk? No,
they actually have jobs in an office and can't talk on the phone all day or e-mail each other back and
forth. Or maybe we can read some more books about writing (see below).
I'm as guilty at this procrastination as anyone. But I'm not going to tell you that you shouldn't
procrastinate or put off the writing, to sit down and force it to come out. I'm all for writing freely until the words start to flow
again, but we shouldn't confuse procrastination with writers block. Writers block is
when we can't think of something to write, for reasons as varied as physical exhaustion, mental exhaustion, other things on our mind,
or a subject that doesn't interest us. Procrastination is the conscious act of avoiding the
writing. When we could write and we just don't want to.
Personally, I think both are valid, depending on several factors. Procrastination can be useful, because if you
are honestly not ready to start a piece or even ready to do the research for a piece, then put it off until you
are. Obviously, I'm not advocating that you just put things off all the time. You should "get to work." But
sometimes you'll have an idea, or the kernal of an idea, and it won't be fully fleshed out, and it's best to keep
thinking about the idea, making notes, improving the idea, before going ahead and creating
something that just isn't ready to be created. But be careful: don't use procrastination as an excuse not to write.
Writers block can seem uncontrollable and frustrating. We convince ourselves that we are "blocked" and even
though we want to write we can't. But is this really true? The best way to help this problem (not "solve," as it
might not disappear right away and will undoubtedly return) is to just write SOMETHING.
Write a letter to a friend, make up a grocery list, make a list of things to do the next day. Maybe even get out your favorite
book and retype a great paragraph. These are all exercises that not only get the fingers moving again,
they actually might give you an idea for a column or article. At the very least you'll feel like you're doing something
(on days I don't write I feel lazy and unfulfilled), and that's important.
Besides, trust me: that mailman has nothing but junk mail and bills.
READING IS NOT WRITING: I've read dozens and dozens of books on the craft of writing, selling and
marketing writing, bios of writers, non-fiction on the history of publishing, books that have advice from
famous and not so famous authors and screenwriters and teachers, books on queries, formatting, how to get
a job in publishing, etc, etc, etc. And it got to the point where I was fooling
myself (I do that a lot), that reading about writing was the same as writing, and that it was all "research for my craft." But there comes a time
where you can't read anymore about writing. Not only will it confuse your way of writing,
your style, and your focus, but it also gets in the way of the ACTUAL WRITING. After all, we're judged by the words we
put down on the paper. Sure, books on the above topics can be useful and informative and entertaining
and inspirational. But running to the writing books when we are trying to get away
from writing ourselves is not a good thing. There comes a time where we have to
find a way of doing things, and if we read too many different viewpoints on the writing biz from too many different
authors, we'll be lost or overwhelmed.
Out of those hundred or so books on writing that I've read, I have about 5 or 6
that I go back to again and again, and that's it. Find a few books by authors that you like, understand, and trust, and do it that way.
Your writing will not only improve, you'll feel more productive and focused.
JOURNALS: A great way to write every day, or at least every week. And it doesn't have to be a diary type
journal either. You can also use it to write down ideas for stories and articles as well. A great way to improve
your writing and also feel like you are getting something done. And, believe me,
years from now you'll love reading them.
START YOUR OWN NEWSLETTER OR ZINE: If I were to pick one single thing I did when I started
writing that was the most important, I'd have to say it was the two zines I started many years ago. I had two
zines: one on music that featured interviews and reviews, and another on television that had interviews,
features, reviews, and more. Not only did these homemade publications improve my writing skills (not
to mention getting to know a lot about publishing and advertising), it also gave me, instantly, a base to work
from and recognition in the industry. I could introduce myself not as a struggling writer, but as an
EDITOR for an actual MAGAZINE. It opened doors that would have been closed to me otherwise.
This is especially useful if you have a specialty, like writing about music or television or cooking or some
other skill you have. If you want to break into that market, editing and publishing a zine (print or on the
web) is a great credit to have and a big foot in the door. Business cards and letterhead don't
hurt either.
WRITING FOR FREE: There are some books and some writers that will tell you to NEVER, EVER write
for free. That writing is a "product" just like anything else, and "why should we put all this work into
something and not get something in return?"
Well, to be blunt: they're wrong, and I feel sorry for these people.
First of all, when you are first starting out, you are going to have to write for free at some point. You have to get some clips, and the way to do that is
to write for the op-ed section of your local paper, or get a staff job on your high school/college newspaper, or do some spec
work for a newspaper or mag you'd eventually like to break into. There's no way around it, and most writers
understand this. But there's are good reasons to write for free in general, even years after you've "made it."
If you are a smart writer, then over the years you will keep your eyes and ears open for new magazines and
new web sites that might be interested in your writing. Some of them won't pay. But so what? Who says that a
writer (or any worker, actually) has to get paid for every single thing that they do? I've
written for free a lot, for several reasons: the magazine was too good a credit
to pass up, the magazine was run by a friend who needed writers, the magazine paid in a subscription
instead of cash (which was fine because I wanted a subscription anyway). Many newspapers, even the well
known, first-class newspapers, don't pay for op-ed pieces. Or maybe you are writing a novel.
Should you stop now because there's a big chance you'll never sell it, after all
the hours or years you've put into it? Of course not. And remember those zines I told you to
publish? No one is going to pay you to put those out (though that's not impossible - look what happened to
"The Tightwad Gazette" when the publisher got a huge subscription base and sold a few books based on
the newsletter). Now, if you can find a paying market that you like for the same piece, then maybe you'll want to approach that market and actually get
paid. But that's a choice only you can make. I believe you can be a successful
writer and never make money! Besides, if you've become a writer (especially a freelance writer)
because you want riches, then quit now. Go get another job that pays well, there's nothing wrong with that. But
if you want to write, then write, and keep writing and do what you want with that writing.
That's not to say that you should let editors or publishers be unfair to you or get away with murder,
but there's a big difference between not getting paid because YOU are in control and you WANT to work
for free and THEM taking advantage of you.
QUERIES: OK, here's the section that will cause the most e-mail responses. I think queries are overrated.
What, did he actually just say that queries are overrated?! Calm down, let me explain. Yes, I know
that every single book tells you to perfect your query writing, and that queries can get you writing jobs, and
that most editors prefer queries over manuscripts. And all of that is very true. I just think it's
dangerous to rely on them too much. When the query writing starts to get in the
way of the actual writing, then you should start to rethink things a bit. You are not going to improve your
writing by writing more queries.
It's the same as writers who think too much about "the market" or about getting an agent. Market-wise, sure,
keep track of who buys what and what they are looking for. Don't send your fishing article to "Wired" or your
piece about stamp collecting to "Cheese Monthly." But markets change, editors change,
magazines fold, tastes change. I'd rather write a lot and be pleased with how my writing is progressing than not writing anything
because I'm paralyzed by "the market," or some fear that I shouldn't even START something because I might
not be able to "sell" it. Agent-wise, I know a few authors who were so excited by the prospect of making
a million bucks on their first novel (insert laughter here) or selling a screenplay that they sent queries to an agent
BEFORE THEY EVEN WROTE THE BOOK OR SCREENPLAY! That happens more than you think.
All this doesn't mean you should just blindly write your 6,000 word piece on the
history of computers and "hope" someone buys it. Queries are certainly invaluable. Just remember to keep writing too.
HOURS OR PAGES? There are two schools of thought on a writing routine. Some writers say to make sure you write for a certain of amount of time every
single day; others say to shoot for a certain number of pages (there's also a third
tactic - counting the number of words per day - but that would drive me completely
crazy and make me frustrated, especially if I was 3 or 6 words short of some goal I had set for myself).
When I first started writing, I forced myself to write for an hour a day. Years
later, I shifted to trying for a certain number of pages per day. Now, I don't shoot for either. Well, let me clarify that. I guess I do try for a certain
amount of "work" per day, but it's so second nature to me now that I don't think
of it in terms of hours or pages. The important thing is to make sure you get some sort of routine every day, and stick to it. And
pick a time of day you feel the most energized. For me, it's the morning (OK, sometimes it's very
early morning, around 1AM, with a Domino's pizza on my desk), but depending on
your schedule and family obligations, you might have to write at night or during
a lunch break or when the kids are asleep. Whatever, as long as you have a routine.
Sometimes writers try to get away from routines and schedules. After all, we're
"free" and "creative" and "spontaneous," and we aren't bound by the shackles of a regular job. Yeah, right. Life just doesn't work that
way. Get a routine you like, and your writing and productivity will improve.
OK, I'm sure there's more to be said about all this, but I have some writing I have to do. We both do...right?
Bob Sassone writes for The Boston Herald, and is a contributing editor at Morrock News Digest. He has also written for
McSweeney's, Compuserve, Tripod, Sony, The Nando Times, and other publications, and he's edited two zines of
his own. He's working on his first novel, a mystery, and lives in Massachusetts.
Visit his site at http://sassone.tripod.com.
