My daughter missed a week of school last week because she had a mysterious fever virus that wouldn’t go away.
Most unfortunately, her 4th grade class learned how to simplify, compare, and order fractions during that time. Sans her.
Even more unfortunately, there is a new way to do this math.
Not that I was even great at doing it the old way.
On Monday, when she came home with her fractions homework, I attempted to show her how to simplify fractions…the only way I knew how.
It wasn’t the way the teacher wanted the class to simplify fractions. She was supposed to do something to do with fact families maybe? And finding multipliers? Something like that? Or factors? Something?
At any rate, it boiled down to the fact that I was approaching the task in a completely different way from her teacher. This made her feel both frustrated (with the assignment, her teacher, and me) and worried about solving the problems.
I could get the right answer (amazingly) when I simplified 24/108. But she needed to arrive at the answer differently.
When writing a book, you can choose to outline…or not. You can edit as you go…or not. You can research at the beginning of your project, at the end, or not at all. You can favor writing plot-focused books or character-focused ones.
The different approaches don’t stop there. Let’s say that you finally chose the methods that worked for you and now you’ve got a finished manuscript. Do you query it? Do you consider self-publishing it? Do you put it out as an e-book?
It’s enough to make your head spin.
I read an article a couple of days ago on Jane Friedman’s Writer’s Digest blog , There Are No Rules, about NYT Bestselling author Barry Eisler’s decision to turn down a $500k deal from St. Martin’s to self-publish his book.
Now that’s a different approach. But it’s the kind of thing I’m hearing more and more about.
Sometimes I’m tempted to feel like my daughter with the different approaches for simplifying fractions—bewildered and frustrated and uncertain of the right way to continue.
But then I remind myself that our books all end up at the same place—in the hands of our readers. What’s important, ultimately, isn’t how we got there but the quality of the books that we’re giving them.
What matters is the end-product: whether it’s a correct math problem or a page-turning novel.
Do you find the different choices and approaches in writing and publishing confusing? How do you find the right path?
I’m too new to really have a path, but I did just want to comment and say “ouch!” for you daughter. I hope everything ended well, because that story just takes me back to my own math traumas (that did *not* end well). :)
I hope I’m on the right path with my small publisher!
This is a great sentiment. I think writers often get caught up in which path is the “right” one. I think the right one is the one that feels right to you and I always try to stay true to that.
Elizabeth – There really are myriad ways to go about writing and publishing these days. On one hand, I like the flexibility that having a lot of paths brings. On the other, it can be awfully confusing. Still, I think having a lot of options is overall better than not having many. It’s much easier for new authors to break into the market.
To me, it’s a lot like what’s happening in the music industry. There are a lot of similarities between the industries in the way that technology and social networking have changed the ways you can break in and get noticed.
I hope your daughter catches up quickly with what she missed in math. Like Suzi, I had my own math traumas and I feel for her. As far as paths, I just follow where my heart leads me and roll with the punches. When I tried unsuccessfully for several years to get an agent, I self-published. This next time, who knows. We’ll see…
Karen
I can’t believe I’m even the same person as five years ago so my path is also a mystery to me! I don’t know how to do this but by doing it – how to write but by writing – how to query but by querying etc… Like learning to walk I guess. As long as I get up at least one more time than I fall down I’ll be OK.
Oh dear, math. When my kids were smaller I could help, but now my two eldest have left me in the dust. They seem to have the math gene; I most definitely do NOT.
There is a myriad of choices out there for writers, isn’t there? How I wish one would just pop up and say ‘I’m the best!”
Traditional publishing is on the way out it seems. It takes too long for out fast paced society. For me I’m going the way of Barry Eisler and Joe Konrath. That way if I want to write a series I can release it quickly for the reader and they don’t have to wait a year between books. That and the money is simply better.
This a great analogy and definitely well-timed! I’ve felt frustrated and inspired by turns when I look at other people’s publication processes. Thanks for the encouragement and the reminder to focus on the end product!
Suzi–She was a little teary about it, which I totally understood. She thinks her mama knows how to do everything–and Mama doesn’t! Mama only knows how to do a *very* limited number of things, actually. Now, if she wanted to launch a Twitter account or a blog, or write a book…*that* I could help her with! :) I think now, she’s gotten some help at school. I hope–because yesterday’s homework was yucky, too.
Alex–You seem like you’re doing great to me!
Mallory–And I think there might also be more than one approach that could work for a writer. Maybe they could e-publish and publish traditionally and benefit both ways.
Margot–Definitely easier for new authors to break into the market.
I think you’re absolutely right about the similarities in publishing to the music industry. And probably the film industry, too.
Jan–It seems to be one of the few areas where you really *have* to learn by doing it! Too bad there really aren’t any writing apprenticeships out there…
Todd–I think that’s one of the big benefits is the fact that sequels can go out fairly quickly and don’t have to go through such a production schedule.
Karen–We had some more struggling yesterday with the math, but I think we’ve figured out a little better what the expectations are now. Which helps!
The nice thing is that we do have options as a writer. Sometimes we have almost too *many* options, but at least there are choices.
Elspeth–You’d *think* that I could help a 9 year old with math, but apparently…
It would really be nice to have, I think, a guidance counselor sometimes. :) Just like we had in school!
Julie–It can be really overwhelming to think about–which is why I just try to think about my book at the end (whether it’s an ebook or a printed book…either way!)
Amen, Elizabeth! I don’t know what I’m going to do when my Baby Girl hits math class *shudder*