How to make it as a writer, according to George RR Martin

The Independent
18 Mar 202204:22

TLDRThe speaker discusses the unpredictable nature of a writing career, emphasizing the importance of perseverance and resilience in the face of rejection and the lack of guaranteed success. They share personal experiences, including book tour challenges and the impact of networking and charm in the industry. The speaker also advises new writers to avoid arguing with negative reviews and to focus on the positive feedback, acknowledging that even established authors can be deeply affected by criticism.

Takeaways

  • 🎲 Writing is a profession filled with uncertainty, akin to rolling dice.
  • 📚 The speaker's bookstore, Beasley Books, specializes in autographed books.
  • 🎉 The Santa Fe Literary Festival is an opportunity to engage with authors and their fans.
  • 😔 Authors must be prepared for the possibility of low turnout at their events.
  • 📈 Success in writing can grow gradually, with small audiences potentially increasing over time.
  • 🌟 Talent and perseverance can lead to successful writing careers, even without initial promise.
  • 📝 Networking and personal charm can be advantageous in the publishing and entertainment industries.
  • 🚫 For aspiring writers, the lack of job security is a reality that must be accepted.
  • 🛑 Writers should not let a single negative review overshadow the positive ones.
  • 💪 It's important for writers to resist the urge to argue with negative reviews.
  • 📚 The speaker's own career has had ups and downs, emphasizing the importance of persistence.

Q & A

  • What is the speaker's profession?

    -The speaker is an author who also runs a bookstore called Beasley Books.

  • What is the significance of the Santa Fe Literary Festival for the speaker?

    -The Santa Fe Literary Festival is an opportunity for the speaker to potentially have authors sign books for their store, Beastly Books.

  • How does the speaker describe the unpredictability of an author's career?

    -The speaker describes an author's career as a series of rolling the dice, highlighting the uncertainty and variability in success.

  • What was the speaker's experience with a book signing event in St. Louis?

    -The speaker had an event in St. Louis where they drove four people out of the store because the attendees did not want to hear them read and talk about their books.

  • How does the speaker feel about receiving bad reviews?

    -The speaker admits that while they appreciate good reviews, it is the bad review that sticks in their craw and upsets them, but they emphasize the importance of not arguing with bad reviews.

  • What advice does the speaker give to new writers about handling rejection?

    -The speaker advises new writers to persist and keep writing, even after receiving rejections, and to not argue with bad reviews.

  • What role does networking play in the publishing and entertainment industry?

    -Networking plays a significant role, as it can provide advantages such as meeting people at events like the Santa Fe Literary Festival, which can lead to opportunities.

  • How does the speaker describe the initial success of their career?

    -The speaker describes their initial success as a great start, but they also mention hitting icebergs and sinking ships, indicating periods of struggle and setbacks.

  • What is the speaker's perspective on the importance of perseverance in writing?

    -The speaker emphasizes that perseverance is crucial, as they themselves have faced multiple setbacks but continued to write and eventually found success.

  • How does the speaker view the impact of a single bad review?

    -The speaker acknowledges that while they receive many good reviews, it is the single bad review that tends to have a lasting negative impact on them.

  • What is the speaker's advice for writers regarding their public image?

    -The speaker suggests that being charming and friendly can be advantageous, especially in environments like Hollywood where verbal pitches are common.

Outlines

00:00

📚 The Unpredictability of Writing

The speaker discusses the insecurity of a writing career, comparing it to rolling dice. They mention their experiences with book signings, including a time when they had no audience, and how persistence is key. The importance of networking and charm in the industry is also highlighted, as well as the emotional impact of reviews on writers.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Security

In the context of the video, 'security' refers to a stable and predictable career path. The speaker suggests that writing does not offer such security, as it involves taking risks and facing uncertainties, akin to 'rolling the dice'. This is illustrated by the ups and downs of the author's career, including book tours with no attendees and later, large crowds.

💡Autographed Books

Autographed books are copies of books that have been signed by their authors. In the video, the speaker mentions that their bookstore, Beasley Books, specializes in selling autographed editions, which adds value and attracts customers. This is a key aspect of their business model and a highlight of the Santa Fe Literary Festival, where they hope to get more authors to sign books.

💡Santa Fe Literary Festival

This is an event mentioned in the script where authors gather to promote their work, sign books, and interact with fans. The speaker plans to 'kidnap' authors during this festival to sign more books for their store, Beastly Books. The festival is a networking opportunity and a platform for authors to gain more visibility and fans.

💡Perseverance

Perseverance is the quality of continuing in a course of action despite difficulty or opposition. The speaker emphasizes the importance of perseverance in writing, as success often comes after many rejections and setbacks. The example given is Ray Bradbury, who famously papered his room with rejection slips, showing that even successful writers faced numerous rejections.

💡Networking

Networking refers to the cultivation of professional relationships for mutual benefit. In the video, the speaker suggests that networking plays a significant role in the publishing and entertainment industries. Meeting people at events like the Santa Fe Literary Festival can provide advantages and opportunities that might not be available otherwise.

💡Talent

Talent is a natural aptitude or skill. The speaker discusses how it's possible to identify talented writers in a class, but also notes that those who may not initially seem super talented can build successful careers through perseverance. This highlights that while talent is important, it's not the only factor for success in writing.

💡Rejection

Rejection in the context of writing refers to the dismissal or refusal of a writer's work, typically by publishers or agents. The speaker shares personal experiences of facing rejection and advises new writers to handle it gracefully, without arguing with negative reviews. This is a common challenge for writers and an important aspect of the profession.

💡Luck

Luck is the occurrence of events favorable or unfavorable to one's circumstances. The speaker mentions that despite hard work and perseverance, there is an element of luck involved in the success of a writer's career. They share personal anecdotes of overcoming setbacks with a combination of persistence and good fortune.

💡Professionalism

Professionalism refers to the conduct, competence, and manner of a professional. In the video, the speaker advises writers to maintain a professional attitude when dealing with rejection and not to engage in disputes with reviewers. This advice underscores the importance of maintaining a positive image and reputation in the industry.

💡Growth

Growth in the video's context refers to the development and expansion of a writer's fan base or career over time. The speaker talks about starting with a small audience and gradually increasing it through consistent effort and quality presentations. This concept is central to the message that success in writing is a gradual process that can be achieved through persistence.

Highlights

Writing is a series of rolling the dice, with no guaranteed success.

Beastly Books specializes in selling autographed books.

The Santa Fe Literary Festival is an opportunity to engage with authors and get books signed.

The speaker once had book tour events with no attendees.

Persistence is key in writing; even after facing rejection, one should continue writing.

Networking and being charming can be advantageous in the publishing and entertainment industries.

Some writers initially don't seem talented but succeed through perseverance.

A good presentation and interview can turn a small audience into lifelong fans.

Even a small audience can grow over time with consistent effort and quality work.

Talent can be identified in a class of writers, but perseverance often leads to success.

Rejection is common; Ray Bradbury famously papered his room with rejection slips.

The importance of not arguing with bad reviews and focusing on the good ones.

The speaker's career had ups and downs, emphasizing the unpredictable nature of writing.

The impact of a single bad review can overshadow many good ones.

The speaker's advice to new writers: if you need security, writing may not be the profession for you.

The speaker's personal experience with the highs and lows of the writing profession.

The importance of not giving up and continuing to write despite setbacks.

Create Stunning AI Art Instantly

No login. No cost. Just incredible AI images !

Create Stunning AI Art InstantlyGenerate Now