If alcoholics can rely on denial to get by, why not the unpublished writer?
photo by dpade1337
Hello, my name is unpublished guy, and I am an unpublished fiction writer. Hundreds of thousands of writers submit their short stories to literary journals and publications every year and only five percent are published. (Please note that statistics are half-baked and hardly substantiated.)
The first thing alcoholics do to recover is admit that they have a problem. I’m not about to admit that. In my long unpublished fiction writing career, I have carefully and tenderly nurtured a denial system that allows me to compartmentalize my unfulfilled creative writing life and separate it from reality. Denial isn’t just a river in Egypt. It is also a crucial part of my ego-driven delusion, an unpublished guy denial system upheld by certain foundational components.
The first leg of the denial system stool: realizing that my writing is misunderstood. I’m a risk taker, reaching for greater writing challenges and many just can’t appreciate the many levels of cleverly layered meaning. They don’t realize that my awkward wording and typos are part of an intentional disregard for a conventional writing style. When I write a story, featuring a tapeworm as the main character, that makes a commentary on the misguided hierarchical view of evolution by homo sapiens, the editor wonders what I am smoking.
The second leg is sufficiently lowered expectations, so that unnecessary ego deflation is avoided. Becoming published in a discriminating publication isn’t actually all that important Some people might stop there and go the self-publishing route or simply post their fiction on line. Why stop there.? Why should I share my fiction with that many people and risk unkind commentary that threatens my unpublished denial system.? Better to tell myself that being printed in a reputable publication with any sort of standards is not that important. As long as I believe my fiction has made in impact on at least one individual than I have accomplished something. Eighteen years ago I had a guy in my fiction workshop really like one of my stories. He said it was special. Mission accomplished, and I save on the postage required to submit my fiction to publications or send query letters.
The third leg of the stool? The unpublished guy denial system only has two legs. Maintaining this system requires above average balancing skills.
Update: In other news, I have added a poll, “Are you published or unpublished?” to the site. Please take the poll, so I know to what percentage of fiction writers on the Internet I should direct an unhealthy dose of resentment. Thank you very much for your understanding and cooperation.
I also made some updates to this post as I witnessed some of my poorly edited blog writing. I may have still missed some dropped question marks. Seems that on some level, I don’t believe in question marks. In that same fiction workshop I mentioned in this post, I drove my instructor, Wayne Ude, crazy with a ten page story that I believe completely lacked question marks. What do you think. (See, I did that on purpose. Tee hee.)
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5 Responses
I’m afraid to dash some people’s hopes but making a plea for publishing on this website is not going to do a thing. You must somehow get your manuscript into the hands of a reader at a reputable publisher. You can try sending it cold in the mail or better yet, try to meet these people in person at conferences. Unfortunately, the harsh reality is, you stand almost no chance whatsoever of being published unless you have the attention of one of these “gatekeepers”. Sorry, but it’s true.
@Jeff, don’t be afraid. My hopes aren’t dashed at all. I have no hopes to dash. Thanks for sharing, though. You provide good advice for those with a glimmer of hope remaining.
ONE person in my fiction workshop liked my work too. Are you telling me that was most likely the high point of my writing career? Btw, UG, I find that most writers are unbalanced, so perhaps you should stop relying so heavily on those two legs. Gatekeepers, I am coming for you.
I just stumbled upon your blog … you may be “unpublished” in traditional terms, but you’re quite a humorous blogger, so don’t give up ALL hope of literary fame and fortune!
@Marie, make sure that you wear adequate head cover–essential when the gatekeepers are pouring boiling oil on you as you try to smash through the gates with a battering ram.