Subjectivity in Publishing
This is for anyone who writes, or anyone who wants to write. The rest of you should go back to your previously scheduled programming.
Few of us struggle with words strictly for ourselves. We may not aspire to the New York Times Bestseller list, or even to make money from our writing, but most of us want other people to read the words we have wrenched from our very souls. (Too much?)
Anyway, this is about subjectivity. You hear it all the time – that publishing is an extremely subjective business. There is usually one person at a time who decides if your work moves on to the next set of eyes, the next step in the publishing process. And this process can involve many such judgments along the way.
To give you an example, I entered a story in a contest at this year’s Oklahoma Writer’s Federation Conference. It’s probably my favorite short story that I have written. Short, simple, sad, and centered on a young girl’s abortion. I entered it last year in the same contest and it received a score of 99/100. Great score, right? And the comments – raving. However, since there were so many entries to the short story category, my 99 didn’t merit 1st through 3rd place, or any of the eight honorable mentions. On the bright side, because it didn’t place in the contest I was allowed to submit it again this year. So I did. And it scored…. ready?
68/100
The comments, as you can imagine, were not complimentary.
Maybe it was my subject matter and the fact that I live in Bibleland, USA, or maybe it was the writing. Either way: publishing is subjective. Never doubt it.
99 or 68 – it’s still my favorite.
by Lela Davidson on May 14, 2010
in writing
We’ve all had similar experiences, unfortunately–and we’ve all seen absolute trash that is published and is even popular, and so much worse than our own literary gems. Twilight anyone. The unfortunate thing is the emotional impact is has on us when our work is summarily rejected. But the bright side is–I guess there isn’t one.
Y’know, I read this yesterday and it’s been sticking with me since. Really reiterates the fact that if YOU love something you’ve created, nothing else really matters. And that you should believe in yourself and keep pushing on, regardless of critics. Also that you either need to have skin as thick as Nebraska or a pantry full of chocolate and hard liquor to survive being a writer. Thank you for helping me justify my vodka.
Just curious, did you submit it this year as well? I was sharing my critiques with my writing group last night and decided the was extremely subjective, just like you said. Make sense, because that’s what we’ll get out there in the “real world” too.
Just stalking your blog, don’t mind me;)
@Tina – I did not submit this one again. But I should have! That would have been a fun experiment
Stalk, please stalk!