Introduction
This post is especially for the writers in the room. Scroll down to C.J.’s Corner for updates!
Well then. I won’t tell you why I’m thinking about this. In truth, there isn’t just one instance. There are many. Many stories of “How I Got My Agent” and “How I Got My Book Deal” and “How I Sold A Million Copies” extolling the author’s own hard work and skill in securing publishing success. While hard work and skill are indeed important factors, I think one factor we don’t recognize enough is that of pure, random luck.
Let’s start with psychology
There is a concept in psychology called a “locus of control.” It’s basically how you interpret the causality of outcomes. If you believe that outcomes come about as a result of your own actions and traits, then you have an internal locus of control. If you believe that outcomes come about as a result of external forces and chance, then you have an external locus of control.
Basically, most people believe a bit of both, depending on the particular “thing” they’re talking about, but some people skew more internal and some people skew more external. Neither is good or bad in itself, and one can be more useful in some situations than in others. An internal locus of control is healthy for situations where you have a lot of personal power to effect change. An external locus of control is healthy for situations where you don’t.
What does this have to do with publishing?
Everything. But first, we’re going to talk about depression and narcissism. People with depression tend to have an internal locus for everything bad, so they blame themselves for situations that are objectively out of their control. People with narcissistic tendencies tend to have an internal locus for everything good, so they praise themselves as responsible for every one of their successes—whether it was really all their hard work and skill, or whether a big part was luck.
And that’s where publishing comes in
People want to believe that their successes are attributable to their own efforts. To some extent, this is healthy—when it’s true. However, publishing is a crapshoot. You could lose out on an agent or editor offer because they don’t like your writing, or you could lose out because they are having heartburn that day and were in a bad mood, or you could lose out because they already had a book just like yours come across their desk. On the flipside, you could get an offer because they love your work and they would have wanted it to no matter what, or because they just happened to see yours first.
What’s the bottom line?
A huge part of success in publishing is completely out of your control. That stresses people out. So they try to make themselves feel better by believing that they can move the needle. When the needle does move, they praise themselves! It was all their hard work! When the needle doesn’t move, they feel like failures. More stress. Sadness. Rinse and repeat. All of this heartbreak, because many people are unwilling or afraid to acknowledge that, even though hard work and skill get you part of the way, luck gets you the rest of it. Because many of us have tacitly agreed to believe in this self-serving lie.
Even when it no longer serves us.
In conclusion
To deal with something properly, you first have to name it. To be healthy writers, it’s imperative that we acknowledge the role of luck in our successes. Not only does it make us humbler, more realistic people, but it also prepares us better for when that luck runs out. Part of being a healthy human is learning how to tolerate uncertainty. So, let go a little. Stop white knuckling publishing success—whether you’re chasing trad or self-publishing goals. Sit with the suck a little bit now, and you’ll save yourself a whole monster of it later.
My final thought: You can still acknowledge your hard work—and please do so! But remember, you are mortal. For better or worse, we as authors can only move the needle so much. At some point, we all have to learn how to let go.
Thanks for reading! What are your strategies for dealing with the uncertainty of luck in your writing journey?
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C.J.’s Corner
Get to know me and what I’m up to. Read it all or skip to your favorite section. (Links work only in web version.)
I’m writing:
Watch this space.
I'm querying! Feel free to ask if you want to know more about my high fantasy project, The Beautiful Enemy, about a witch and witch hunter teaming up to kill evil gods in an Italian Rennaissance-esque fantasy world.
I’m releasing a Gothic horror novella! You can preorder the Kindle version or preorder print/ebook on Bookshop or add it on Goodreads.
The Enter Here anthology has been released! We finally got our physical copies in and they’ve been arriving to Kickstarter supporters. Didn't do the Kickstarter? No worries. Get it here! If you are a reviewer with a site or booktok or whatnot and would like a free review copy, contact us at enterhereanthology(at)gmail(dot)com.
I have been writing Miracle Girl, a contemporary horror novel about a woman possessed by her dead sister and a defrocked priest with nothing to lose. I’m working on it for StoryStudio’s Novel In a Year class with Cynthia Pelayo, which is great for my accountability!
I’m reading:
I'm working on reading one thing at a time. I know, how weird.
Angel Down - Daniel Kraus | |
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I swear I’m going to finish this book this month. |
I’m watching:
While at my friend’s house (Whitley of Reading With a Vengeance), we binged all of Ride Or Die, which is Hannah Waddingham as an assassin and Octavia Spencer as her unwitting, high-powered best friend. It’s billed as a comedy but it’s actually more snarky, intense thriller and I loved every minute of it. IT MADE ME FEEL MY OWN FEELINGS. I need a season two.
I’m listening:
I went to see Evanescence with Spiritbox in concert! So I have been listening to all of Evanescence’s albums nonstop, especially their new album Sanctuary. Highlights include “Rapture,” “About Us,” and “Forever Without You.”
I’m playing:
My video game brain is so dead. Stand by.
I’m doing:
ArtFight! If you’re not familiar, it’s this July event where artists “attack” each other for points by drawing each other’s characters (or making crafts, etc.). I did 60 different character paintings this month and I’m so proud of my progress and how much I practiced and learned. I’m finally creeping towards a style of my own!
Check out some of my ArtFight art here on Bluesky. If you’re on ArtFight, you can see my profile here.
