As Writers, We Need to Quit Looking For The Back Door of Success

Looking for the backdoor, loophole, or quick-success method will NOT get us where we want to go! It's never been a formula for success in other areas of life, so why would we expect it to work in our writing career?

And if you think all those success stories about making oodles of money, gathering tons of followers, getting accepted by top publications, and becoming an overnight success were achieved by slipping through the illusive backdoor, you've missed a vital clue in all your reading.

Regardless of how overnight it may seem, success always has something driving it from behind. Action and hard work are what pushes that level of success or achievement.

A fatal flaw

I'm always amazed when interacting in writer's groups at how many writers are looking for some type of magic formula to success. It doesn't have anything to do with their potential or abilities. It has everything to do with the attitude driving their activity.

if some people could bring to the table the same type of energy they do to complaining and trying to find shortcuts around what they want, they would have already achieved their goals.

Criminals interest me, why? Because they're driven by the same desires as we are, but they take these disastrous shortcuts and end up in a real mess. ~Colin Wilson

Will the real culprit please stand up

An article I read entitled, 5 Reasons We Play the Blame Game, gave some great insight on why we're quick to blame our failures on others. Point 4 is my favorite.

It's easier to blame someone else than to accept responsibility. There's less effort involved in recognizing your contributions to a bad situation than in accepting the fact that you're actually at fault, and changing so you don't do it again.

This mindset is behind much of the complaining done by those who are trying to circumvent the processes of writing and publishing in their search for the proverbial backdoor. In writing groups and forums I'm subjected to a constant stream of negativity that sounds something like the following.

• Publications take too long to respond
• Editors just don't get my writing style or voice
• My writing is better than the other stuff they publish
• I'm not paid enough
• No one understands how hard I work at writing

While I'm usually a patient and understanding kink of lady, sometimes I wish these people would find that magical portal.

It's not because of my good nature, however. But my experience in life has taught me that the backdoor is sometimes a oneway opening that leads to an underground parking garage from which they will never return to spread their negativity.

The last one standing

The real culprit is identified and it's not the world of writing that is peopled by editors, publishers, and critical readers. While it may not be perfect, give me one example of anything that is…

A reality check would be helpful at this point. If we remove all the external factors, the only one left standing is us, the writer. Are we filling our days complaining instead of writing our next article, blog, or book?

Bottom line

Writer, John Weiss, in his story entitled, This is the Problem With Shortcuts, gave a bottom-line conclusion which summed up my thoughts nicely.

What's the "bad" of taking shortcuts? It denies us the hardships, detours, and lessons of the long road. The deep ruts and bumps that hone our skills, deepen our abilities and make us true artists as opposed to tinkering craftsmen.

The art of thinking and working successfully

Writers who want to improve their skills, hone their craft, and impart some gem of value to their readers will never be satisfied with taking shortcuts in their writing and publishing process. They'll work along with the systems that are in place and provide the very best content they're capable of writing.

I once read a simple illustration with three points that resonated with me.

• A workman puts his back into his work.
• A craftsman puts his mind into his work.
• An artist puts his heart into his work

We writers need to do all three while using the front door of opportunity.

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Originally published here