I own a publishing company, 3L Publishing. I work mostly with writers who consider themselves artists. In this community of amazing and wonderful people, I have noticed something about “some” of them--not all of them. I don’t like to use absolutes because, of course, nothing is always absolute or true for everyone. What I’ve noticed is a crowd of people loaded with insecurities. Now, we’re all insecure on some level; but my observation of the number of people expressing an inordinate amount of insecurity in this group prompted me to add a session on our upcoming Writer’s Conference and Cruise to address this insecurity when it comes to their work.
I noticed the insecurity among this group of professionals over the last few years. If there is one thing I can say about reinvention and its impact on my spirit is that I am now more confident, centered and balanced than ever. This serenity within myself has given me a more objective place from which to make observations, because an interesting detachment comes with it. Since I am focused on building my business and “doing my thing,” I have little concern or desire to compare myself or feel bad about myself.
Now I might have wrestled with the insecure monster had I not discovered my passion and purpose – the discovery is actually quite liberating. You know you’re on a journey that you want to make versus stumbling along and allowing life to kind of drag you. So that said, I am more able to rise above many of these conversations where the writers start as I like to call it, beating their chests and declaring their skills in some ritual in which they think I am impressed or nullified, meaning I no longer question their skills or work. I wonder though, do they think this is a sales technique?
I think the saddest encounter I have had with a writer comes from a man who is actually famous and has published dozens of books. His resume is impressive. So I find it odd that this fellow would find the need to make digs at me (as I must pose some threat to his ego). I mean really this person is famous with a canon of work to be envied; therefore, I won’t mention him by name. His digs have ranged all over the chart from subtle comments to overt snobbery. I don’t take the bait ever – and I rarely talk to him now because of it.
