In many ways, this has been a banner year for me. Carolina Wolf, which came out in March, was a breakaway success. I’ve never been more pleased with my sales or the reviews that have come in for a story. All helped, no doubt, by the fantabulous cover that Natalie Winters provided.
In my new writing, I had the opportunity to really work on deeper craft issues like theme and metaphor. I experimented more with a new storytelling style, which, though difficult to maintain and still very rough, was a stimulating challenge. And don’t worry, I don’t intend to inflict anything like that on you for some time yet.
But as we sit at the cusp of a new year – a new decade – I ponder the realities of my situation as a writer. I’ve told many new writers who enter into this with stars in their eyes and dreams of immediate contracts dancing in the dreams that this is a game with a very long tail. Success doesn’t come overnight.
Success is perhaps the watchword of the year. Merriam-Webster defines it as “favorable or desired outcome.”
In the last few days, I’ve been wondering. Have I succeeded? Then I realized that I couldn’t answer the question because I hadn’t defined my terms. My former glory days as a debater always prod me at the most inopportune moments. What is success?
Perhaps this is a moment that all writers face. I don’t presume to believe I’m the first one who has come to this point.
Is success a contract? I’ve had one of those.
Is it more and more contracts? How many is enough before I can say, “I’ve succeeded”?
Is success a measure of financial remuneration? Well, I’ll tell you. I did well this year, but DH isn’t planning our retirement to Aruba.
Is success writing a novel? I’ve never done that. I don’t know that I ever will – it seems daunting. And no, it’s not just a long novella.
Is success working both in e-publishing as well as having a career in traditional publishing? I don’t know. I don’t think so, but as I haven’t achieved it, I can’t tell.
Perhaps it’s more a measure of intangibles, which I suspect is the real answer. Perhaps it’s simply putting one word in front of another. Perhaps it’s writing something that you know is better than anything you’ve written before. Perhaps it’s something I haven’t even discovered exists yet.
Nonetheless, the questions remain, What is success and am I there yet?
The truth is, I don’t know. I expect 2010 to be the year of figuring it out how I measure success.
How do you measure success in your career?
Fun post, Sela!
Writing success, for me, is a rolling target. The concept changes as I become more experienced—and more successful.
I used to feel proud of myself when I stopped editing a short story (eleven hand-written drafts, mind you) and actually submitted it. Later, true elation was getting a non-form rejection letter, or winning a local writing contest.
Now, as my ambitions have increased, my definition of success has evolved, too.
January Rowe
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Congratulations on your success this year Sela! And definitely well deserved. Carolina Wolf was such a wonderful, refreshing read.
My definition of success has always been set by how mum used to look at our report cards. With every report, she just wanted to see improvement. Of course in her head, I’m sure she wanted straight As for all of us and all sorts of glory, but it was a long, long road before that happened. What she advertised to us was the mantra, “Just do better.”
Every year I look to “improve”; forward progress, did I do more and challenge myself from what I accomplished last year? In my heart, I know there’s thoughts of sales and contracts and all that glory, but in my head, for now, the goal is to do better than last year.
Here’s to next year!
This is a very good question. My answer is…I’m not sure.
I know when I started this journey back in 2005 (which is when we met on the HQ boards. Can you believe it?) I had my “five year plan” and thought I’d be with a traditional NY publisher by 2010. But then, I didn’t see the creation of the Kindle or the popularity of ebooks coming.
So have I had success?
Yes. I set goals and I’ve reached them. “Get published”. I did that. “Get published at Samhain”. This year, I finally did that.
I’m with you. My goal is to be a better writer, a better person, next year.
Interesting thoughts. Success is hard to explain to others but I know what it means to me, in my mindscape.
I think one of the biggest markers for me is feedback from readers. When one lets me know that something I wrote touches them somehow, either to make them laugh or cry or feel happy or sad, anytime I draw someone into my story enough to trigger such a reaction, I succeed.
Third try at posting. Will I have success this time?
To me, measuring writer’s success has many layers. The one I enjoy most is reader feedback. Knowing something I wrote struck a cord with a stranger, wow, love that feeling. I never feel as successful as I do after getting an email from a reader.
Thank you for all your responses! As I suspected, the measure of success is intensely personal and no one person’s definition will work for anyone else.
Good luck to all you and wishing you much success — in whatever measure — in 2010!