The NCAA Basketball Tournament is upon us, with lots of drama accompanying March Madness.
As you watch a game, of any team sport, the focus is on the players in the contest. The camera follows the stars and their every move. What you rarely do is watch the bench or the players on the sidelines.
I find this to be a fascinating metaphor for the writing and publishing “game.” There are mega-stars with household names. There are the “up and comers” carving out their places. And with each publishing release, a new name steps forward, displaying their talent.
But what about those of us who are left on the bench? What do we do when someone else takes what we think is our place in the spotlight? Or what if we used to be on the starting team but can no longer get a new contract or the attention our books deserve?
I observe at least three types of writers who sit on the bench:
I have often observed the sneer of disdain when a famous author is being discussed. “Oh, their books aren’t that good. I couldn’t finish even one.” “I can write so much better than so-and-so.” You understand what I’m saying? And I have likely willfully participated in the criticism.
There is a legitimate place for critique and published reviews (both online and print). They provide a valuable service in helping us discover whether a book is worth the time to read. And yet I once looked up every review written by an individual on Amazon out of curiosity. (It is easy to look those up.) This particular reviewer did not like a single book they had reviewed. Not one. It made me wonder if they were being intentional about their criticism in order to bring other writers down.
If you are on the bench, be careful not to let the jealously bug bite and infect you with bitterness. Caustic words tend to burn the giver as well as the receiver.
The Student
Teams practice nearly every day. It creates a “muscle memory” for certain plays and for the interaction with other team members. They learn from one another and from their coaches.
It is the same in the writing world. This season may be one where you are on the bench. Use that time to improve your craft. Watch how other authors market their new books, and keep a notebook of ideas. Make note of promotional things that don’t work as well as those that do. Read widely in your genre and outside it. Your nonfiction may improve after reading a great storyteller. Or your fiction may have a new layer of fascination because of some nonfiction piece you read.
I have met a number of very famous authors in our industry who have attended a writers conference as a student. They were not there to teach or speak. They were not there to mentor. They were not there to critique. They were there, paying their own way, to sit quietly in the back and learn how to improve their craft.
So even if you are on the bench, you can still learn something. And be prepared for the day when your name is called.
The Cheerleader
The video at the end of this piece is absolutely delightful. See how the bench celebrates the success of the other players. It is inspiring. Why?
Because it is a lesson to the rest of us. No pasted smiles on our faces when our friend gets a contract and we don’t. You’ve seen the smile that doesn’t travel up to the eyes. No empty words like “I’m so happy for you” said with gritted teeth.
Instead, bring unbridled enthusiasm to the game. This is about changing the world. The nonfiction piece inspires and instructs thousands of people in far-flung places. That novel warms a heart or challenges a reader through a character who has come alive on the page. This miracle of the written word is something to celebrate, truly celebrate.
Of course not every book is made equal. That is why there are so many and why our tastes are so varied. But if you find yourself on the bench for whatever reason, take the chance to send a note of encouragement to that author. Not just gushy fan letters, but a note that only another writer would understand. Use your blog or Facebook page to celebrate those new releases. Let your network know there is an alternative to the drivel found on most TV stations and in movie theaters.
Meanwhile, enjoy the rest of March Madness and this video. Next time a new book hits a home run or scores a touchdown or sinks a buzzer-beater or gets past the goalie, celebrate like these guys from Colby College. (Watch past the logo at the “end.”):
Fun Fridays – March 15, 2024
Love this!
There are days it really seems
that I’ve been benched by God.
Out on the field there flow the dreams,
but somehow I’m found flawed,
no longer fit to play the game
that once had been my life;
and here in stasis I remain,
and it cuts just like a knife,
but I must have trust that the Lord
does not neglect what I might be,
and that in time He will afford
another chance for me
to run back out into the fray
ere it comes, my dying day.
Andrew, if there is one thing you are most surely not, it is benched. You are the star player, day after day, on this blog, and the wisdom of your poetry scores goals on a continuing basis. We all cheer you on, champion that you are.
Sy, thank you so much for this.
I was thinking, in context, of things I used to love, like public speaking, and can no longer do. I’d love to give just one more talk, about my new service dog saving me from positional asphyxia last week. I fell, and could neither move nor breathe.
Peanut, a Great Dane less than 24 hours from a city shelter, leapt into the fray and cleared my airway, then helped me to a chair.
In a world of dark and hateful news, I would love to be able to hold up this lantern of love and grace for anyone who might care to listen.
Exactly what Sy said. Love your witty and truth packed poems. You’re awesome. 🙂
Lynette, I am so honoured!
I agree with the other posts about you, Andrew. I often look at the blog title, and wondering how you might reply draws me to read it. I don’t thank you each time, but I glean from it every time.
I’m so thankful for Peanut!! Like Jana, I look for your poems first here. We’d miss your words if you weren’t here. But I also feel your frustration and confusion. As mobile as I am, as many places I’m able to travel, I sometimes ask God if I wouldn’t be more use to Him if I didn’t have Anna.
But it’s His choice and plan, which is infinitely better than mine could ever be!
What a wonderful reminder to mind our tongues, never stop learning and to always cheer for others. Great post, Steve.
Guilty.
But doing better.
Thanks Steve.
This was just excellent and so timely for me. Thanks for the encouragement to be an encourager, no, a WiLD cheerleader!
Thank you for the reminder to keep learning and to encourage others! It was definitely what I needed to hear today!
When a book became a best seller overnight and it dealt with a similar story line but not as well written or plot driven as mine. I got angry that hers went to number 1 and mine wasn’t going anywhere. Then I re-examined my reaction. She was a journalist and publicist so she already had an editor and publisher. After that I rejoiced for her success and continue to take courses on how to market mine.,
Excellent post, Steve. I think sometimes we forget it’s all about God’s timing. So, I do work to be genuinely happy for those who are getting more contracts than me. I work hard not to sneer at those who treat their self-publishing contract as if it was a traditional one.
I remind myself I would want my fellow writers to be truly happy for me. And I’ve had traditional contracts and indie ones.
The best things to come out of my writing journey are the friends I’ve made. I don’t know what I would do without my writers groups. They support more than just my writing. A contract would be almost meaningless without them.
Thanks for the reminder and encouragement Steve. And I love the video.
Thank you for the encouraging words and sweet reminder.
Good word, sir. This industry can really mess with you, and it’s good to be reminded to genuinely rejoice with those who rejoice.
Thanks Steve!
The student bit really spoke to me! May I not be like the cripple beside the Bethesda pool waiting… instead of learning from those like him who have jumped in successfully!
May I be like one ‘ in the land of the blind’ who emerges with two eyes!!
How has it never occured to me to see myself as a ‘student’ and pick up the ways of the ‘teacher’ and be like them?
I pray it is not too late for me.
God bless you.
Blessings.