Think back to your teen years. What sort of music did you listen to? Country? Ballads? Jazz? Rock? Regardless, you probably supported your favorite musicians by purchasing their albums and hanging goofy-looking posters on your wall. You listened to their amazing tunes for hours on end, wishing you could step into the singer’s shoes for one, brief, magical moment.
Pause to think about your favorite musician. What was it about him (or her) that you wanted to emulate? Here’s what I liked about some of my favorites:
- They paid their dues. Many sang back-up for years or played small venues before “making it big.”
- They were fearless. They stood on that stage and sang/played their hearts out.
- They were talented. Not just a little talented, but over-the-top skilled. They didn’t stand up there half-singing. They gave it their all!
- They had a certain “sparkle and shine.” They stood out above other artists because they had something special.
- They were “known.” All I had to do was say the name of the artist or group—Kansas, Styx, James Taylor, Billy Joel, Janis Ian, Fleetwood Mac, The Eagles, Queen—and everyone knew who you were talking about.
These musicians stood the test of time.
They weren’t just flash-in-the-pan artists.
Now think about these things in light of your writing. Most of us set out to write that first book thinking we’ll be famous. We hear the words “pay your dues” and pray they don’t apply to us. We’re not willing to play the small venues (i.e. write for the church newsletter, compose blog entries, etc.). We want to jump straight to the big time. More often than not, we’re not ready. We should follow the lead of our musical superstars and work, work, work our way up the ladder. We need to take writing courses, go to conferences and lean heavily on our critique partners.
We have a lot to learn when it comes to being fearless, too. Oh, sure…we say we’re bold. We say we’re brave. But when the rubber meets the road—say, we have an opportunity to sit across from an editor or agent at a conference—we shake in our boots. It’s time to stand straight and tall. Summon up the courage to see this thing through from start to finish.
Our musical stars inspire us with their talent, but great talent doesn’t just happen. Most of us have to work hard to learn the craft. Writers grow into their talent with extensive training.
Sure, rock stars sparkle and shine. They’re in the spotlight, after all. But, what about you? What sets you apart from the crowd? Do you have that little something extra? Writers set themselves apart by using strong verbs and writing tight, brilliant stories and articles.
One final thing in closing: being “known” is great—and many writers have achieved that sort of success. But consider the fact that most writing is done in solitude. We’re not in front of the cameras or the lights, singing our hearts out. We’re sitting in front of a computer screen, pounding out words, then paragraphs, then whole stories.
My advice for the day? Be a rock star! Strive to be the very best you can be.
