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B&A - Writers: How do you think of other writers?
Hi, guys.
Whenever I've listened to podcasts or read books about how authors see other authors, it always says that they don't see them as competition, but help each other instead. And that that's how it should be.
So, what I'm asking you is: Do you see other writers as companions or competition?
Maybe it's the environment I've grown up in, but there is a part of me that wants to be better than some others. And I know it's wrong (maybe - is it?), but I do see other writers as competition. I want that to change about me.
But think about it. In school, you're pushed to be the best, and within that environment, I was one of the best. Every time that writing has been prominent in my life, there has always been an element of competition involved.
Hmm... I am really not a team player. That kinda sucks. Seems as though this question is really, "Do you like people?"
But seriously, I do know that obviously it's better to have help when trying to get published, etc, etc, and I think that those who do have help from other writers do get further.
Am I right? Am I wrong?
(Also, I didn't mean to come across like a pompous idiot or offend anyone, so... sorry if I did). I just wanted to ask your opinion. Other writers: Companions or competition?
12 Answers
- Anonymous8 years agoFavorite Answer
Other writers aren't competition. Competition is when two or more people are doing the exact same thing and they want to win. None of us should be doing the exact same thing, so that's not it. Winning is being published, so that's not it.
Then again, I started getting serious about writing when some smart alex told me I couldn't write and I was a joke. The person was published, but it's only a self-published book and hasn't sold enough to cover the cost of publishing yet. Worse yet, that writer was a woman and I was only 10 when she said that, so d@mn straight, part of the reason I plan to be published--by traditional publication--before I'm 18 and I plan to have it sell more than that writer is to prove something. Still, even that's not competition. I don't want to sound stuck up either, but I know I'm as good as that writer now. That was easy. I have to be better to sell to a publisher.
So, yes, part of me wants to be "better than," but even there, I don't see that as competition. I'll never be Hemingway, Shakespeare, King or Rowling, but I will be the best me around. I think of it more like video games. I'm competing, but I'm competing against me.
But even competing against myself, I far prefer hanging around other writers, because we are giving people often. I learn so much and to pay back that debt, I help others. It's all about paying it forward in the writing community.
- 8 years ago
Companions. I connect to writers. I can learn from them. And they can learn from me. I value these three concepts highly.
If a writer improves because I teach them something/critique/etc., that's not going to do anything to harm me. It's not like there's only one literary agent or publishing company in the world. Even if there was, it's not like they'd limit how many authors can get published. If that were the case, it would be a competition because there'd essentially be winners and losers.
Furthermore, if I didn't help or critique any writers, that wouldn't make me more likely to publish. Actually, I find that quite the contrary. Critiquing others helps you with your own writing. Anyway, the ways you can help a person improve their writing isn't a big secret. A lot of writers know how to improve different aspects of writing. Just because I don't help someone improve their writing doesn't mean someone else can't. If they're really "competition," then they'll persistently try to improve their work.
Lastly, I don't want my work to simply be better than someone else's. That's how it is with *anyone's* work. Take any random writer. Someone in the world writes better compared to them. And someone in the world writes worse compared to them. There's no sense in trying to write better compared to other people. What I want is for my work to be well written period =)
- Ninja PuppyLv 58 years ago
I mostly see them as companions. But I can see where you're going with this.
Other authors I think can help each other. I've written letters to published authors before. I've spoken with an author too (who critiqued some of my writing and gave great advice). One of my friends used to write as well, and we would help each other make our stories better. I see more of a connection between us writers because we understand each other and can help each other.
But I can also see why you say there is a bit of competition. There cold be someone you know who writes fantastically, but they don't seem to work as hard as you do. You think that with the practice, you would be better. So then you try your best to be better than that person. And there are many other instances where there can be competition.
An interesting question. You got me to think about something I don't think about. *Star*
- HP WombatLv 78 years ago
It's definitely better to be sociable when it comes to your writing life. I didn't understand, myself, just how important it was until I joined a group of CPs (Critique Partners) who all have finished novels and are pursuing publication.
As part of a small group, we keep each other informed about goings-on in the industry. If a query contest is coming up, if a certain agent has opened up to queries after being closed off for a long period of time, etc. Having friendly eyes in the publishing news is great, especially ones who know your novel.
Also, getting feedback is a huge deal. Friends and family aren't reliable critiquers, and neither are perfect strangers from the internet. Having a fellow writer who is not close (emotionally) to you is vital. Not only are they fast readers, they are also intuitive about the flaws of your story, and often provide great feedback.
Finally, having writer friends means you'll have cheerleaders. One of my CP friends got an agent recently, and we all celebrated along with her. Was I jealous? A little bit, but our novels are so different that it's not like we were pitted against each other in any way. This friend started reading my manuscript soon after she got her agent. She gave it so much praise on Twitter that an agent (a friend of her agent) actually sought ME out and asked to read my full manuscript.
See how beneficial it can be to have close friends in the writing community?
Being competitive is good, but you can only realistically be competitive with yourself. Being competitive about writing ability and publishing success is like being competitive about how tall you are. There is so little control you will have over it. Horrible books will be published and achieve great success. Great books will be looked over and their authors linger in obscurity. Being competitive is pointless in the writing community.
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- 8 years ago
I see them more as companions.
Really when you think about it, all writers are striving towards the same goal: To make other people happy with what you write. To me it doesn't matter how many people read it, whether it's one person or one million, because as long as they smile, as long as they enjoyed it, then I fulfilled what I set out to do. Whether I go on to write books someday and if I become as big as J.K.Rowling would be just as satisfying as writing a story on Wattpad and having ten people read it.
So I think that Writers are all companions on one road, working together to spread joy with whatever it is we write. If we spend our time trying to be better than other authors, then writing becomes more about profit and what other people want to read than what you want to write and how you want to make people feel.
I hope I helped!
- ?Lv 78 years ago
Companions, definitely. Writing isn't really a competition where there's only one winner—any number of people in a group can get published and/or become successful writers, or none of them. I'd rather see many of my fellow writers reach their goals, rather than me being the only one.
Plus fantasy with lesbian romance isn't the most populated genre. XD
- ★☆ L⁴☆★Lv 68 years ago
I do view other writers as competition, but only so I can grow as a writer. I see writing that's better than mine, study it, and become better. Wash. Rinse. Repeat. And I keep applying the things I learn and it becomes innate to my writing process.
- .Lv 76 years ago
I think they are kind of pathetic and live in a dream world, they don't think like they live in reality. Also, I see them as being constantly depressed and going nowhere. Mostly, they whine about not being able to get published and put down hits like the Twilight saga and other works because they themselves are failures. This is just my personal impression but yeah, they're kind of losers.
- Anonymous8 years ago
I wanna be a multimedia writer when I grow up. I'm in highschool I'll write 3 pages a day. IM currently on page 94. don't ask for help from anyone else all it takes its a mind and a sheet of paper. Askimg for help is like saying their better than you. And I don't think any writer is better than me other than James Patterson and Tite Kubo. I never run out of ideas and hopefully you won't either.
- Jasmin♥Lv 78 years ago
Companions mostly, but there will always be a part of me that views them as competitors simply because of my own insecurities.