Writers--Play It Safe Or Take A Chance?

Can't you just hear Woody Allen saying the quote above? He's shared something we could all ponder      or chew on for awhile. 

Do you play it safe in your writing life or are you willing to take a chance that might find you failing      bigtime? Play it safe and you may never know what waited for you down the road. How about       Robert Frost's poem that highlights two roads in the woods, giving a choice? Read The Road Not Taken here. I'll post the final lines that I have always liked: 

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

If we take that less traveled by road, we stand a good chance of running into something bad but it's also possible that good things are waiting. What would you do if you had to make a choice regarding the roads in your writing journey? Would you stay on the path that is known to you, the one where you feel confident? Or would you take a chance and traverse the other road where something glorious might be waiting for even though you could run smack into a brick wall?

Taking chances means we're going to win some, lose others. If we falter, it's perfectly alright. Stay where you are and never submit to magazines you thought beyond your writing and you will probably feel comfortable. You convince yourself it's better to keep subbing to places where you've achieved some success. Why set yourself up for a slap in the face--that nasty rejection? Why? Because something good could happen.

What about sending query letters to big publishing houses even though you know you could self-publish your book? It's a longshot but how will you know if you don't try? Writers routinely send queries or proposals to multiple--and I do mean multiple--publishing houses. Failure is going to happen but maybe one will write back requesting some sample chapters. 

Venture into new territory. Take a chance. The worst that can happen is a few blows to your ego but you can recover from that if you approach it with the proper attitude. Try your wings; you just might be able to fly.