On the subject of writing gurus
On social media, a friend has been pointing to many of the essays by one particular writing and publishing guru. He points to this guru's work exclusively and is apparently following said guru's advice pretty much to the letter. To each his own, surely. But my position on gurus is as follows:
There's a reason someone is called a guru: they have A Way. Usually it is, from their perspective, the One True Way. The guru in question is famous for having One True Way. The thing about a One True Way is that it does not allow for alternative positions and perspectives. This particular guru's way certainly doesn't.
But here's the thing: Everyone's experience, everyone's skill set is different. Poke at any One True Way and its flaws manifest pretty quickly. There's so much good, solid advice about writing and publishing on the web that to limit oneself to one particular guru seems to me to be cutting out some really fine education from your diet. It also runs the risk of your having picked the wrong guru for you. I don't know if there's a Wrong Guru, period, but it's certainly possible to pick a guru whose personal style, capabilities, and experience are so vastly different from your own that no matter what they preach, it won't work for you--and then what are you left with? Tears and disappointment, a sense of failure and defeat, and the feeling that there must be something so wrong with you that there's no point in continuing to pursue an art that you're truly passionate about.
So what I want to say is that if you're seeking guidance about writing and publishing, choose several sources, not just one. Research your sources and try to figure out if they have the experience and knowledge to back up their preaching. And then pick and choose the advice and insights that ring most true for you. It's unlikely that they'll all come from one place. Be smart, read broadly, and find those voices that make sense and provide well-grounded wisdom. But don't choose just One True Guru. You'll be glad later. I promise.
There's a reason someone is called a guru: they have A Way. Usually it is, from their perspective, the One True Way. The guru in question is famous for having One True Way. The thing about a One True Way is that it does not allow for alternative positions and perspectives. This particular guru's way certainly doesn't.
But here's the thing: Everyone's experience, everyone's skill set is different. Poke at any One True Way and its flaws manifest pretty quickly. There's so much good, solid advice about writing and publishing on the web that to limit oneself to one particular guru seems to me to be cutting out some really fine education from your diet. It also runs the risk of your having picked the wrong guru for you. I don't know if there's a Wrong Guru, period, but it's certainly possible to pick a guru whose personal style, capabilities, and experience are so vastly different from your own that no matter what they preach, it won't work for you--and then what are you left with? Tears and disappointment, a sense of failure and defeat, and the feeling that there must be something so wrong with you that there's no point in continuing to pursue an art that you're truly passionate about.
So what I want to say is that if you're seeking guidance about writing and publishing, choose several sources, not just one. Research your sources and try to figure out if they have the experience and knowledge to back up their preaching. And then pick and choose the advice and insights that ring most true for you. It's unlikely that they'll all come from one place. Be smart, read broadly, and find those voices that make sense and provide well-grounded wisdom. But don't choose just One True Guru. You'll be glad later. I promise.