Writers and Predictions

 

Today is Groundhog Day when Puxatawney Phil emerges from hibernation to predict whether we will have an early spring or six more weeks of winter. Out in Pennsylavania, they make a big to-do over this event, and the rest of the country watches to see Phil's prediction. This morning, he told us there would be six more weeks of winter. That brings us to mid-March, which usually is quite right. Still, no one knows about predictions. Aren't they really a guess? Look how many have predicted the end of the world on a certain date, but life goes on. There are political predictions. Some are right, others off by a mile. 

How about the prediction about your writing journey. Can someone predict how long it will be before you have a submission accepted? Can anyone predict when a writer will have an awakening moment and suddenly feel like thet 'get' this writing game? Does anyone know when their own big breakthrough will happen? Of course not.

Predictions for writers are most likely a waste of time. What is not a waste of time is how the writer works toward publication. Does he/she do writing exercises? Or think they are worthless? I am a firm believer in exercising your writing muscles with a warm-up exercise like a photo prompt or a freewrite of a word picked randomly. 

Do the writers who wants to be publised study markets? They should make themselves familiar with the publications that their kind of writing is geared to. Sending something that has no bearing on the publication theme is foolish. Take time to learn about the publications where you should submit. 

Is the writer one who reads about their craft on a regular basis? Or attends conventions and workshops to round out their writing education? Both of these things will be of help to the writer through learning and also to get some inspiration.

We can't predict when, or even if, publication will happen. All a writer can do is work towards that goal each and every day. If you get published, it's a wonderful moment, but then it's time to continue working towards the next publication and the next. 

Meanwhile, prepare for that six weeks of winter left to us that the groundhog predicted.