|
Writing and Betting - A Comparison
As I lay in bed trying to think how to progress a short story I'm writing, it occurred to me that, for me certainly, writing is very close to betting. When I'm betting, and things are going well, it seems that every bet I place goes well, and I play things safe - placing just the odd bet on sensible odds. With writing, it's the same. When people are picking up my work and I'm able to easily complete stories, I take my time and don't go overboard with submissions. However, with betting, if I hit a dry spell, nothing comes off. Even the 'shoe-ins' fall through, proving the old adage that there is no such thing as a sure thing. So, in order to recoup my losses, I place more bets and at longer odds, taking risks that I wouldn't do if things were going well. With writing, it's the same. If I haven't had anything published for a while, I go ballistic, sending stuff off left, right and centre (I think it's because I crave the validation of others), even things I'm not happy with. And, with both, the dry spells seem absolute - betting, I win nothing, and writing, I finish nothing and get a torrent of rejections.
|
