5 Delusions Standing in the Way of Your Writing Success

Are you getting in the way of your own writing success?

I recently learned that June fifth is “festival of popular delusions” day.

To celebrate, the idea is to root out those delusions that may be holding you back, which can be a really useful thing for writers to do.

Of course, this isn’t always an easy process. We like our delusions! They keep us feeling safe and comfortable. But unfortunately, safe and comfortable often means stuck in a rut. If you want to push your writing career forward, those delusions must go.

What Are Delusions?

First, let’s be sure we know what we’re talking about here.

A delusion is a mistaken belief based on a misinterpretation of one’s perceptions or experiences. At their most severe, delusions are a sign of a mental disorder or psychosis like schizophrenia. An example might be that a person falsely believes she’s being followed by the police.

Then there is the less serious form of the word “delusional” that simply means someone believes something to be true that clearly is not, or is attached to an idea that is obviously false. If someone says you’re delusional, he or she usually means you’re deceiving yourself by believing something that isn’t based in reality.

It’s this second type of delusions that June 5^th is meant to “celebrate,” and writers can often fall victim to them without really realizing it.

5 Common Delusions that Delay Writing Success

Are you under the influence of a delusion right now? If so, it’s time to face reality, particularly if you want to reach your next writing goal.

1. If I can just make this story as good as possible, my career will take off.

This is the “one book is all I need” delusion, the thinking that “if you publish, they will come.”

Unfortunately, that’s not how it works in the publishing world. Times have changed, but many writers are still under the delusion that if they can get that one book published and noticed on the market, readers will come flocking and success will arrive.

The truth is that building a readership takes years of hard work, and you should start immediately, whether you have a book published or not. Most publishers provide little marketing assistance, which means that writers need to come to the table with readers ready and waiting.

How to do that? However you’d like. You can blog, podcast, stay active on social media, get out there and talk about topics that interest you, and more. Drawing readers to you is the main goal, so think about how you can serve the reader in everything you do. Then when your book does come out, those readers will be more than ready to check it out.

Of course, that’s just the start. You need another book, and another, so forget the delusion that one book is all you need. Writing is a lifelong endeavor!

Writing Success Delusion 2. What really matters is writing talent.

When speaking at writer’s conferences and other events, I often come up against the question, “Do I have the talent?”

I remember asking myself that question for years. It’s a destructive question, because it keeps writers in a perpetual cycle of self-doubt. And self-doubt robs writers of confidence and motivation.

The problem is, there is no right answer to this question. No one else can tell you whether you have the talent it takes to be a writer, not even bestselling writers or professors. They can give you their opinion, but that’s all it is—an opinion. As far as your future goes, it matters little.

What really matters is the desire to write and write well. These desires will compel you to work hard, get feedback, study, and write again until your stories or poems more closely resemble the ideas you have in your head. In the end, it’s not those who are most talented that go the farthest in their careers—it’s those with the most grit and determination. If you have those, nothing can stop you.

3. Fixing my weaknesses is the key to success.

As writers, we know we need to educate ourselves, which includes getting feedback on our work and identifying areas where we need more practice.

Indeed, one of the great things about writing is that no matter how long we’ve been at it, we can always learn more.

The problem is that the process of getting critiques and working on problems has become a bit one-sided in the writing world. We become so focused on fixing what’s wrong with our writing that we forget that we should spend equal time (if not more) figuring out what’s right.

Learning what your strengths are is actually more important than learning what your weaknesses are, for your strengths lead you to your greatest potential. Making a weakness less of a weakness can help your overall writing, but it will never take you as far as making a strength even stronger.

Knowing your strengths can also help you better market your books, as the more you let others see your skills and talents, the more interesting you appear and the more people want to read your stuff. What are you good at? Start thinking about it today, and then find ways to build on that.

Writing Success Delusion 4. If I can get my book published I can quit my day job.

“Writers have to be somewhat delusional to pursue a career that has such a minuscule chance of financial success,” says paranormal author Jami Gold.

“[I]t’s increasingly tough to get paid to write,” says mystery writer Anne R. Allen. “Yes, there are lots more opportunities out there for writers in the digital age, but there’s also more competition.”

A first book rarely (if ever) leads to the type of financial success that’s required to allow you to quit your day job. In fact, even after you have several books on the market, you’re likely to still need some sort of other income.

Most successful writers diversify to make ends meet with other activities like speaking, editing, freelance work, and more. That’s the reality of the publishing world today.

Living under the delusion that a book or even two or three books is going to take the place of a full-time job is dangerous for a couple reasons. First, it leads way too easily to discouragement. When your first book comes out and you’re still having to hold down that boring job to pay the rent, you’re going to be super disappointed, which can hurt your motivation for writing.

Second, the delusion may lead you to believe that you should quit your job prematurely to write full-time. This is a very bad idea unless you like living in boxes. Don’t do it!

Instead, find a way to manage with your day job or find a job you like better, and continue to write on the side. Eventually, you absolutely can create a money-making career of your own, but it takes more time and more work than many writers want to believe. Be ready.

Writing Success Delusion 5. I can succeed as a writer by myself.

You absolutely can start out on the writing dream by yourself, but eventually you’re going to need some help.

No one reaches the pinnacle of writing success alone. Just like in any other profession, you’re going to need mentors, encouragers, friends, and helpers along the way.

As I look back over the writing career I’ve had so far, I see many hands clearing the path for me. From the boss who had the faith to hire me for my first writing job to the publisher who took a chance on an unknown author to the editors who encouraged me to the mentors who taught me to the fellow writers who cheered me on, there are all kinds of people that I’m grateful to for helping me to get where I am today.

If you’re slogging away in your writing room alone, it’s time to make some connections. Hire an editor to help you with your current novel, join a writer’s group or book club, guest post on a writing blog, and connect with other writers on social media.

Get thee to a writer’s conference at least once a year, and introduce yourself to others as often as possible. You never know where that one connection might lead.

What delusions are you trying to shed?

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Sources

Allen, A. R. (2015, November 23). 5 Delusions That Block Writers from Professional Success. Retrieved from https://annerallen.com/2015/11/5-delusions-that-block-writers-fro/

Festival of Popular Delusions Day. (2017, February 11). Retrieved from https://www.checkiday.com/856092439f2a353f21e6d1187018d675/festival-of-popular-delusions-day

Gold, J. (2017, August 4). Are All Writers Delusional? Retrieved from https://jamigold.com/2011/09/are-all-writers-delusional/