Wednesday, August 31, 2011

You Win, I Win.

Perhaps the most important thing I have learned thus far in graduate school is the title of this blog. "You win, I win."

In the arts it's so easy to get jealous of people, really quickly. Critique partners, writers you follow, new comers who you think might be better than you....the list goes on. They get good news and at least I know I sort of fall into the black pit of I-am-no-good-I'll-never-get-there. They make it look so easy and I just can't seem to put two words together. But I know that is not true. I know that I am totally more than what my brain is telling me.

So jealousy, meet someone who is smarter and brighter than you. I talked to a friend about this who had some help from another friend who we both feel is a better screenwriter (I'm a film student people, I write more than novels). His comment was if you do well that is a reflection of me. So you do well, I do well by association.

This is a business but it's also about people. In fact, like most businesses it depends on people. The only way to get through all of the craziness of the publishing, film, or arts business is to support each other. Because when your critique partner does well, you do well--because you helped them get there. In turn, they will support you on your way to being published because your success is a reflection of them.

4 comments:

  1. Good points.

    I always feel so happy when I read good news about others getting an requests, agents, deals - it just makes me feel like it is possible and sometimes even is the motivation to keep going. :)

    By the way, we are in the same Dystopian group for the Platform Building Campaign and I wanted to say hello. :)

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  2. I hate it when jealousy gets in the way! I went to art school, as well, and boy, the things you just mentioned were on the forefront of my thoughts every day. It's so competitive! And it's true that you have to be willing to lend a hand to find success!

    Anyway, all that to say I'm in the same Dystopian group, too. (Hi Kimberly!)

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  3. So true. It's always nice to have the support of fellow authors. BTW, I'm in your dystopian group for the campaign!

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  4. That's a great idea, to support each other. In June I joined a sprint club, to sprint write and I have completed over 60K words in the last two months. I think encouragement is a great motivation for me.

    Thanks for stopping by and my drabble challenge has no take up yet. Are you game?

    Every Savage Can Reproduce

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