I read this article a while back and I've been thinking about it for a long time. (Will link at the end of this.) It's 5 signs you are a writer, and 3 that you're not.
The one that gets me is #3 on the "why you're not" list.
The best thing about writing and reading is that a reader can read a book by a different author every day for their whole life. A reader can support more than one author. It’s a business that doesn’t have to be a competition.
There isn’t only one author's books that are “the only ones worth reading.” There are countless books by countless authors that are worth reading. There are countless styles of writing, countless topics and genres of books that have been, are being, and will be written.
No one author is better any anyone else.
I'm no so arrogant to think that mine are the
only books worth reading, because they aren't. But they most definitely
are worth reading.
There is no reason why we can't support each other. We should happily share, with no expectations. The expectations only lead to disappointment.
"I shared so-n-so's book, but they didn't share mine, I'll never share their stuff again!"
If you would like someone to share your book--then ask. It's as simple as that. Support others, because you want to show support for your fellow authors, not because you want something in return.
There's no reason to not support another author if you enjoy their books. No one's success will ever diminish your own.
Do you love an author? Do you have a friend that's an author? Go and pimp their books.
You don't have to take others down, or pretend they don't exist in order to build yourself up. Doing those things won't actually help you. This isn't a gladiator sport, so why do so many of us treat it like one?
Want to know what helps you? Having other author friends! Yes, it's true. You're an author and so are they. You can relate to each other in ways that non-writers can't.
You can share the little things that excite you, a funny line, the fact that you wrote THE END on the first draft (or final draft) of your current MS, you can talk about how to get through a scene that is giving you issues while staying true to the plot, subplots, or themes.
Your non-writer friends might not actually care. Or if they do care, they might not understand what
the big deal is.
Your writer friends will.
You can help each other out. Maybe one of you is really good at graphics, maybe the other is good at promotion. Whatever it is, you can help boost yourself and them at the same time.
You should want your friends to succeed. Because they are your friends. But also, if they succeed and you've been a good friend, they will take you with them to the top. Unless they are a crappy friend, in which case, they probably dropped a few hints along the way that they suck as humans and you probably should have caught on.
But seriously, be a good friend, help each other. Because it doesn't have to me you
or me, it can be
us!
I recommend reading this blog post.
5 signs you may be a writer, and 3 that you're not.
-Ali
xoxo
