Climbing Mount Mistaken 🏔
Where does style come from?
Happy Friday! Un joyeux vendredi! ¡Feliz Viernes! 快乐星期五！
I’m in the final two weeks of editing my book.
I’ll tell you one thing nobody lied about:
The last 2 miles are the hardest.
Here’s why:
1. Amateurs Make a Zillion Mistakes
The word amateur gets a bad wrap. Whether it is skateboarding, finance, law, or art, “amateur” is the stage where experts are built.
For example: One of my biggest mistakes was the fear of being identified as a “young writer.” Instead, I wrote like a man with a cane, 1950’s haircut, and a British accent. (No kidding, I even started spelling words with the “Royal U” — colour, flavour, neighbour… 🤦🏼♂️
2. Amateurs Have No Clue Who Their Audience is
Since I’ve never published a book before, I’m running into the saloon guns blazing without an idea who or what awaits. This might make for a good western, but it’s less than ideal in the real world.
Why is knowing the audience a crucial ingredient? Because I can write the best book in the world — it’s going nowhere if I only sell to Navajo Indians.
3. Amateurs Try Too Hard
My dad always taught my brothers and I that:
Hard Work = Success and Success = Fun.
I believe in the principle. But I also now know that:
Hard Work x 10 = Waste and Waste = No Fun.
I can be obsessive. Every word, syllable, and letter had to be perfect. I tried way too hard to sound profound. I thought I could do I could be perfect. But…
Perfect is a drag. No one wants Perfect. Mistakes make the world go round.
Now it’s the last two miles and Mount Mistaken is at an all-time high.
My editors and publishing team have helped me learn that making mistakes is the fastest way to develop your style.
“How am I doing?” — You tell me…
