WHEN IS ENOUGH, ENOUGH?

Recently, I got my hands on a copy of ‘Writer’s Digest’; not an easy task when you live ‘off the map’. Anyway, I was excited to have a look inside, hoping to find all kind of ‘insider information. In this particular issue I came across an article titled ‘How Much Is Enough?” excepted for the book ‘Create Your Writer Platform by Chuck Sambuchino

In this article Mr. S (I hope I will offend no one, especially Mr. Sambuchino, by using such a familiarity, but if I have to keep typing that name over and over, well, I just can’t be responsible for how it might end up.) goes on to tell us what type of Internet presence is ‘enough’ to woo an agent or publisher. He  lists all sorts of intimidating facts and figures about what is ‘notable’, ‘very notable’, and impressive by any means.

Now, no offence intended to Mr. S, because I know this article, excerpted from his book is primarily about creating a ‘Writer Platform’ and that was really all he was addressing, BUT I couldn’t help think enough already with the platform. Whatever happened to good writing, creative story line, tight plot and interesting characters?

Recently in my online writers group someone posted that a potential agent loved their work but they were afraid that ‘the market trend had passed them by and this book had lost its chance’. I had to read that over three times before it sunk into my thick skull that this agent was telling this writer that ‘although their book was very good and the agent themselves loved it the MARKET TEND dictates what will be published, not the quality of the work.

Now I realize that there are trends in reading just like any other form of entertainment, information gathering, or socializing BUT are we now supposed to be concerned about what is ‘trending’? How many people like us on Face Book? How clever we can be in 128 characters? From what I read recently, it seems more important to be popular than to perfect your craft.

So, today when I think about my insecurities with respect to my writing (let’s not even begin to consider my general insecurities) I left with the fact that all I want to do is tell good stories. Something that will make you think. Something that might tug at your heartstrings, keep you up at night with the lights on, or something that will make you laugh out loud. I want you to be involved with my characters and engaged in their struggles, hopes, fears, happily ever afters and tragedy. Even though I write primarily fiction, I want it to be relevant to what’s going on in the world today in the hopes that someone might think about taking an active part in solutions rather than complaining about problems. I want my writing to be ‘Enough’. Is that too much to ask?

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