Success is writing is such a nebulous concept, isn’t it? We view success in a series of goals and when we reach certain goals, we raise the bar and consider success as something else. Perhaps, then, it’s never actually attainable and we should just view success as doing something we’re proud of and continuing to work toward something more.
Long ago, my main goal was simply to write a novel. Then to find a publisher for it. I had my first few novels published by a small lesbian press and then I wanted to move into mainstream and my writing life changed… figuring out how to submit to agents, how to find writing community outside the sapphic fiction community I’d mostly become part of over the years.
A couple years ago, I knew one of my major goals was to win a CBC writing prize. I shortlisted last year for the non-fiction prize, and though I didn’t win, the shortlist felt huge – like it moved me into a new place with my writing. I know awards and contests don’t tell the whole story about a writer and they are so very subjective, but sometimes, when you’re slogging through a piece, when you’ve had a long round of rejections, when you’re starting to question whether you’re even in the right career, a well-time shortlist can change everything.
Waking up this morning to find one of my quotes about writing in the CBC newsletter was as thrilling to me as winning an award. I love CBC Books and I often read works they’ve promoted, or authors who have interviews on their pages. I uphold them as an institution with literary values aligned with mine. So seeing my name in their pages is a huge measure of success for me.
I often feeling like I’m slogging in my writing these days. My WIP is going so slowly, and I’ve not had luck finding a home for my first completed mainstream novel. But I’ve just finished writing a wonderful book with my co-writer, I just won the Blank Spaces Magazine writing prompt contest, and this week, I’ve spent at least twenty minutes a day, every day, with my novel-in-progress. And today, I got the gift of seeing my name in the CBC Books newsletter.
Sometimes, success isn’t measured in getting that book contract, making a ton of money, or having a movie made of your book. Sometimes, success lies in being acknowledged.
Finnian Burnett 