Most writers want to reach an audience. Some just want to see their names and print. Others are looking for money or recognition or the chance to work with creative people. Knowing your short-term and long-term goals will guide you as you consider opportunities to work as a writer or to place your stories.
Pursuing any opportunity is an investment. Time, money, and creative energy are limitless. It's good to make strategic choices rather than react to every opportunity that comes across your path. Now, some people instinctively pursue the best opportunities. If that's you, great. If not, here's a process that you can use directly or as a model for creating your own way of choosing opportunities.
1 The opportunity fits my objectives. If you think in terms of the projects you want to finish or other goals you have for your writing, could this opportunity be helpful? Or, no matter how seductive, is it really for someone else? if the opportunity isn't really for you, set it aside (or possibly offer it to another writer). If it is, proceed to step 2.
2 The opportunity is from a credible source. Sometimes your insights will tell you it's too good to be true. This is particularly likely nowadays when social media is tracking what you're interested in. And, of course, if you submit to some contests or take some courses, you can expect a lot of email filled with promises. If you're unsure, a little research usually clears things up. Don't forget to ask some of your friends who are writers. A thorough investigation isn't the best use of time at this point, but this step is worth returning to before making any investments. If it still looks good, proceed to step 3.
3 The deadline is achievable. Sometimes you find out about an opportunity too close to the due date for forms, polished works, or other required materials. Usually rushing things is a bad idea because it's risky not to present materials that are as good as you can make them. Sometimes, an opportunity looks good enough to sacrifice scheduled work. That requires a deeper assessment, both of the opportunity and the the comparative value of the trade-off. A guiding principle here is not infatuation with an opportunity. Respecting your time is what's essential.
4 The opportunity could be added to the calendar. Sometimes the deadlines fluid. The question becomes, can it be added to the calendar? Is there room without trade-offs? Can other projects be delayed or canceled to open up space, and should they be? Again, a value calculation needs to be made before there is a decision. And, once again, respect your time. If things look good? The next question is about money.
5 The opportunity fits the budget. Not everything costs money. You can submit to editors and agents at no cost. Sometimes, you can pitch a project or response to a proposal without making any financial investment. However, many contests and courses require fees. So here's another principle: Respect your budget. Even if you have lots of money, seeking value helps to prioritize opportunities. For those who aren't wealthy, a budget can keep spending under control, making other opportunities available. Just as with time, there can be budgetary trade-offs where selected projects might be postponed or canceled. There is also the option of fundraising (usually a time cost). Borrowing might be a good choice if the value is exceptional.
6 What the opportunity offers is worth it. This gets into the concept of value assessments, and I can vary at different times in our lives and according to who we are and what we want. But there are some areas of value worth considering and creating measures for:
- Financial gain. This is straightforward. Are you getting paid for working or an option or sale? Is there a prize worth winning and within reach?
- Learning and feedback. Sometimes the value of writing a proposal or an artistic statement helps to shape understanding. Sometimes a critique, questions, or brainstorming an opportunity clarifies and improves the work itself. For me, answering some contests has been valuable because of validation of the concept or because it has provided me with useful comments. Exploring production (scripts for film and stage) with potential collaborators, even when a project hasn't been produced, has been worthwhile for me as well.
- Creation of assets. Especially in the film industry, intellectual property has become a top of mind concern. Because of the risks, completely new and original material is difficult to finance. So, the sale of a short story or production of a stage play or even something like a meme or a blog series or a fiction podcast can indicate an audience is out there for a story. This has raised the stakes for any concepts that could be translated into a different medium.
- Reputation, connections, and community. while writing appears to be a solitary activity, success is almost always driven by developing credibility with other people. Often, the true value of completing a project, mentoring, collaborating, going to a conference, or taking a course comes from the relationships that are created or deepened. Can you be trusted? Do you get the job done? Do people's like spending time with you? Do you have some exceptional skills? The answers to these questions come from other people, not from you. And you want those answers to be yes.
If you have (or can make) the time for an opportunity, if you have the money and the creative energy, if it fits in with your plans, and the payoffs are worth it, it's probably good to make room for the opportunity.
Risk is a factor, course. With the best of intentions, you can fail in an opportunity or make a poor choice in who to collaborate with. Money can run out. You might be replaced on a project. A “sure thing” contest might be one by someone else. Since you never have complete information and the world keeps changing, there is no perfect way to select which opportunities to commit to. But being thoughtful is almost as good as being lucky in making choices.
There's more to say here. It's worthwhile to develop a way to assess potential value (and probably score them in a way that facilitates comparison). It's a good practice to take a look at completed projects and see how they worked out versus your expectations. Finding and developing opportunities also can make a difference. More chances for work or sales or collaboration, with ever better payoffs, relies on developing research techniques, writing queries, developing pitches, and improving interpersonal skills.
There’s one more thing I haven’t dealt with: Follow-through. If you make a good connection, you need to have the time and understanding to deepen the relationship. If you make a sale or when a contest, you need to figure out how to get full value from those wins. If feedback or a course alerts you to ways to improve the work or become a better writer, you need to set aside time for revision or to master a new skill. Is easy to dismiss, forget, or underestimate follow-through and waste the investments made in creating successes. Perhaps, that should be step number 7: Set aside time and resources to realize the full value of an opportunity you pursue.
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