Writing Is About US
After years in the writing world, here’s what I keep circling back to. Writing talent/skill/effort is NOT the same as discoverability.
The best books may not sell.
The best writers may not get published.
The best efforts may not get rewarded.
It’s endemic in all the arts fields (or, cynically, in any workplace or industry). We know this cognitively, logically, yet still we yearn for the conventional, traditional definition of success (often meaning we’re on the—or a—bestseller list). It’s not wrong to want this, obviously, and those who do make this cut should enjoy the fruits of their well-earned labour.
But it simply can’t be a reflection of our own quality because too many factors of how to get discovered are out of our control (namely luck).
It’s not an easy lesson to absorb, so it’s a message worth repeating. Publishing/making a name for yourself/earning a living as a writer is NOT the only criteria to determine writerly talent.
Taking the time to learn your craft determines writerly talent. Putting in the effort to hone your craft determines writerly talent. Striving to improve determines writerly talent.
And those things are, thankfully, all under our control.
Happy Writing.