Saturday, February 28, 2009

A Newbie's Guide to Publishing

Just a link today. I came across it via the Swivet. JA Konrath has a post about Confident or Delusion writers. It's funny, and accurate on many counts. Among many pieces of wisdom..

"Confident writers believe they owe the world.

Delusional writers believe the world owes them."


Yeah. The good thing is that it's possible to move from being delusional to confident. I've got some first hand experience with that.

What about you. Confident? Delusion? Bit a both?

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14 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Based on the list, I am definitely Confident and making sure I keep it that way. I've been with some Delusionals in the past, am dealing with a Delusional right now, and it is NOT pretty. :(

4:46 AM  
Blogger David Anthony Durham said...

I hear ya.

12:23 PM  
Blogger Kate Elliott said...

Where's the choice for Neurotic?

9:31 PM  
Blogger David Anthony Durham said...

Neurotics have many choices. None of them seem right, though...

...dammit!

That said, N's also make good writers on occasion.

11:25 PM  
Blogger Corby Kennard said...

Well, according to that post, I'm delusional.

Not completely, but enough that I'm my own worst enemy.

Which, you know, I kinda knew already. So at least I can admit the problem, even as I still find it impossible to solve.

Now, I'm off to play Little Big Planet.

2:18 AM  
Blogger A. Hartman Adams said...

This list struck fear in my heart when I first looked at it--but then I added up my honest answers and discovered that I'm firmly in the "confident" camp. Cool.

I wonder if some of the "delusional" options are possibilities that we fear within ourselves as writers. For example: I take such joy in writing even when it's hard to write, but I'm very good at putting it off because I'm not "inspired."

Like Kate, I'm looking for a third option. Even though my "score" came up as confident, I know I have delusional tendencies!

1:00 PM  
Blogger David Anthony Durham said...

Paranoyd,

So you're a paranoyd delusional? That's troubling...

Allison,

So you're a confident delusional? That explains a lot...

;)

2:33 PM  
Blogger A. Hartman Adams said...

Does it explain a lot, David, or does it simply invite more questions? :)

Either way, confidence can be a comforting thing--after all, at some point excessive confidence in one's delusions could translate into success. We hope...

3:27 PM  
Blogger David Anthony Durham said...

I think explaining inherently leads to more questions.

As for "one's delusions could translate into success"... Totally.

4:12 PM  
Blogger Kate Elliott said...

I think delusion can be comforting in the right circumstances. I read once that people who are delusional about their situation in life are happier than realists.

But I'm too neurotic to decide which is more likely.

2:18 AM  
Blogger Corby Kennard said...

Geeze, David, when you put it like that.

"They put me in an institution
Said it was the only solution
To get me the needed professional help
To protect me from the enemy in myself."

-Suicidal Tendencies, now I must listen to them.

4:07 AM  
Blogger David Anthony Durham said...

Well, I've just done something that's either truly inspired or shockingly delusional. On this, more soon...

11:36 AM  
Blogger A. Hartman Adams said...

Well, David, do share. The deluded find comfort in conspiracy, after all.

Wait a second...Who'd you kill off this time??

12:05 PM  
Blogger David Anthony Durham said...

Allison,

Character death is not specifically what I was referring to. Of course, there's a bit of that in The Other Lands, but... I'll post about my news soon. Just letting it sink in a bit at home first.

12:48 PM  

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