My father is an artist. A really talented and skilled painter. He’s worked on his craft for over 50 years. I grew up in awe of the man who dedicated his life to art, blindly believing as only a child could, that he was wildly successful, because it was enough to be great at something. As adulthood settled in, I then became aware of the bittersweet knowledge that he will probably never be recognized for it, financially or otherwise. He’s been told over and over, his work isn’t commercial enough, not marketable enough, not enough. A refrain that writers are all too familiar with.
As my career in publishing extends, I hold that insight deep inside. That an artist can be an incredible genius at what they do, and yet they may never be recognized for it. That even if I don’t see the commercial viability in something, this does not mean the writer hasn’t spent years honing their craft.
And yet. I also watched my father yearn for fame and fortune. Weirdly disconnected from the spiritual questioning and artistic wild freedom found in his work, was this idea that he would one day be simply discovered. An altogether human desire, so relatable on so many levels. Who doesn’t dream of the day we stumble on our own golden goose? But when your art becomes the potential goose, the complications can be dizzying. And by relying on “being discovered” the long grinding years of marketing yourself, working the system, making your art something that you are paid for, is now not your responsibility. (Yes, the system for all artists is unfair, and you can do all of these things and still not be successful, but that’s a post for another day.)
So I hold this insight with me as well. That an artist’s work can have the potential, but if they aren’t ready for the grind, they may not be a fit for publishing. But I know it’s not useful information for those writers who pitch me their “bestseller.” And I can’t argue with them, because I understand their dream. The best I can do is attempt to explain the art is content for your career.
What perhaps will be useful for a writer to know, and the point of this post, is literary agents are looking for writers who do understand this complexity. That we are not “discovering” you. That you have to build your career over time. You may lay a golden egg along the way, but you won’t need it in the long term.
No Comments