I can’t remember if that line was courtesy of a friend or a friend of a friend, whom upon trying to explain why he/she considered themselves successful in their art (I think it was music), they replied, “but I’m really famous in Japan!” And by Japan, they actually meant one of the smaller islands that had a population of less than a 100. It just goes to show that we artists, whether it be visual, musical or written word, will literally take what we can get to validate ourselves in said art world. After all, we create not only out of desire to quench an insatiable need to get these ideas, visions or demons out of our heads, but we secretly want to be told that what we’ve created matters. I firmly believe an artist who says otherwise is lying.
Sometimes the validation comes in big forms of recognition. Sometimes it comes as one person who happened to see something you wrote and just wants to say “good job!” To me the big nods and the small nods are the same. It thrills me when a friend reads something I’ve written and tells me how excited or sad the story made them, or whatever objective I was shooting for with the story. Yet, it secretly thrills me more when a stranger does it. Why? Because I know the stranger isn’t saying something just to be nice. Not that I’m saying my friends are lying to me or trying to cushion the blow. My real friends know better than to give me fluff feedback. They are writers as well, so they know fluff feedback hurts you more than any rejection letter or criticism can. So when a stranger gives you that positive or creative feedback that actually mirrors exactly what your friends are saying, why does it hold more weight? Any Psych 101 student will tell you it’s because we do anticipate our friends to say whatever will make us happy or feel good. But a stranger (especially thanks to the dark cloak of the internet) will be truthful with you. Sometimes with a happy ending, sometimes with monstrous results. Either way, as artists, we seek truth, no matter how uncomfortable it may be. When another writer can’t handle the truth, they are obviously in the wrong field. But no matter what, validation keeps us going, and going, and going, no matter what we do. Whether it’s as a wife, employee, student, child, parent, king or pauper. We all like to hear that “good job!”
Bottom line, it’s always an excellent feeling when your work is recognized, nevertheless. And even more so, as I discovered yesterday, recognized in a different country. Yes, I can officially add INTERNATIONALLY published author to my resume!
Sanitarium Magazine, a small publication south of London in West Sussex released Issue 14 yesterday (although their front page and blog haven’t caught up to the fact.) This issue is available in both Kindle and printed format. And as if I needed additional validation that I’m getting somewhere with my writing, I officially have a writing credit through Amazon!
To say I’m pleased would be an understatement. Still not getting a stipend from my writing, but I still consider this a big step. So check it out, buy it if you can (only 2 pounds sterling; I’m too lazy to look up the conversion rate on that. It’s probably about 3 bucks). It’s a nice story right in time for Halloween and will get you in the holiday mood. It might not mean I’m exactly famous in Britain (or Japan for that matter), but perhaps I’m getting there.
Cheers and Happy Samhain!
Wendy
The Paperback Writer 