I can’t help but wonder if whoever designed the Ferris wheel (that would be Ferris, I’m assuming) was after a cheap, momentary thrill or if he was inspired by Fortune’s Wheel of the tarot, intentionally trying to create a carnival ride that would encapsulate life’s ups and downs.
For the truth is, we all have them—or will have them if you’re one of the fortunate few who have yet to experience any downward travels. And Fortune’s Wheel is starkly evident in the publishing world. No one is exempt. And truthfully, a person should consider themselves lucky if they don’t get Towered a time or two along the way.
We are all of us on this hairy, exhilarating ride, but, we are all on different points on the wheel. Some are going up, others coming down, and still others hanging in the air for that long, glorious moment when they are on top of the world.
Of course, people are more likely to talk about their ride UP, that thrilling ascent as they are on the rise, cresting when they reach the top and hover—sometimes for minutes, sometimes for seemingly ever.
But eventually the wheel turns. The problem is, most people keep that particular part of their ride private, not wanting to share that long hard descent with anyone. We don’t like to talk about that fall, whether it is a gentle, controlled descent or a rapid, breath-taking plummet.
The important thing to remember is that the wheel may not turn where we can see it. The descent will not necessarily be in a person’s public professional life, or perhaps they spent their early years in one big downward slide, and we will only get to see their upward trajectory. But just because we don’t see it doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen. In fact, sometimes we won’t see the downward direction because they adjust course before it becomes apparent to others.
Part of that is the nature of the business. Our success is heavily seeded in the smoke and mirror nature of publishing; the desire to create the illusion that everyone wants/loves your book so that in turn, others will love/want it, too.
But another factor is simply human nature. We don’t like to talk about our failures or mistakes. We are a society that places a huge premi
15 Comments on Fortune's Wheel, last added: 6/23/2011
Display Comments
Add a Comment
Your son sounds like a wise young man!
Robin, I think you should repost this about every six months. Comparing creeps up on us in small ways, just in a "Wait! Mine was like that, so why didn't I...?" type of way, and before we know it, we're back in the saddle. EVERYONE has their own ...er, mess, correct, and for everyone, the wheel turns... I like that. It's a reality check + hope infusion.
Oh Robin,
How much did I need to read this this morning and reread it every morning. Thank you.
In my first years of writing I used to refer to getting published as this GINORMOUS brick wall to scale - and I kept giving myself a concussion when I repeatedly banged my head against it. A Ferris wheel is a much better metaphor because there are ups and downs no matter where you're at in the process - and there will be for the rest of your writing life and career. :-)
Since poetry isn't as in-demand as fiction, it is easier on some levels to not have jealousy find you.
So many of us will never be known.
* After so many years of more downs than ups your post boosted my spirits, Robin. I've always felt that so many people have certain expectations of me, especially since I had a great high, with almost getting a book published, that dissolved into disappointment. Thus, I've shrunk back from staying in touch with those who have had success, thinking that I wasn't really worthy of their company. Your encouraging words has made all the difference to me. Thank you. By the way, this site has enabled me to face my fears, as well as give me hope in going on with my writing, no matter what.
Jenny, I thought that was a worthwhile takeaway from a liberal arts degree!
Tanita, I totally agree about the comparison creep! And reality check/hope infusion was exactly the balance I was aiming for, so thank you!
Thank you, Susan! It was one of the posts I was less certain of, so it's always so rewarding to learn that someone needed to hear just that very thing!
Kimberly, plus Ferris wheels are much less painful than brick walls!
That's a really interesting point, Jennifer, about certain areas and genres just not being subject to that sort of comparison.
Wow, Gerri! Your comment totally made my week. Maybe even my month! I cannot even express how happy I am that the site has helped you in that way! It is so hard to remember that our work is not what makes us worthy or not. I have fought that a lot, still do sometimes.
This was just the reminder I needed to get things back in perspective. Thank you!
Another great post that came at just the right time. I can tell myself not to compare all day, but come on...who can resist? Like your son said...I have my own sh!t.
But the idea of instead thinking to not "let envy erode my own path to success" is indeed an easier mandate. a little healthy spark of competitiveness isn't a bad thing, whereas the souring of the soul that is envy is an entirely different animal. Thanks for this.
Thanks for this post. My own two college kids have had to grapple with "facebook-induced" envy as well, and thank goodness they are learning to see through the social media facade. When I first started blogging several years ago, pre-FB, twitter, etc., it seemed like people were more "real", though perhaps people also veered more often toward the over-sharing, not fully comprehending the wide reach of the web. I guess the challenge for writers is how to stay true to our own creative process at the center of the wheel, as we ride the highs and lows of public life.
Sarah, that's a really interesting comment, and I think it is true. All the social media does make the successes more visible, I think, and it's hard to remember that everyone has their own 'downward turn' at some point.
Great post as usual Robin - thank you.
My kids were playing the game 'Snakes and Ladders' recently and it struck me how true to life it is. Sometimes you seem to just keep going up and up the ladders...and then you hit an enormous snake and wind up right back where you started.
I agree that it helps to know that this is normal in life and in writing!
Very, very well said!
A writer friend shared this link this morning and I've bookmarked it for the next time I feel like I'm the only one with sh!t (sorry, but I love that quote!) My first book came out in May and while it's been wonderful and fulfilling in many ways, it's been eye-opening and scary in others. It helps to remind myself to be grateful on a daily basis, but the biggest boon to me has been to start the next book. No matter what this biz might do to my confidence, when I'm working on this first draft I'm reminded that this writing gig is truly a gift. No one is telling me it needs to be revised (yet), no one is telling me it'll never sell (yet). It's just me and the characters and the world I'm creating, and that's pretty awesome (a definite up on the Ferris wheel!)
Thanks for this thoughtful post.
Wise, thoughtful, and eminently helpful. Bravo!