Luck is definitely an important factor. However, the first condition is to "activate" that luck by actually submitting something, even if you believe your chances to be slim. Case in point: my sister, a Belgian writer with three novels under her belt, recently came across a writing contest in a newspaper from the Netherlands. Her books g…
Luck is definitely an important factor. However, the first condition is to "activate" that luck by actually submitting something, even if you believe your chances to be slim. Case in point: my sister, a Belgian writer with three novels under her belt, recently came across a writing contest in a newspaper from the Netherlands. Her books get good reviews, but they are not "bestsellers". Considering the relatively small size of the Dutch-language population, very few writers in either country can make a living from book sales. The challenge was to write a vignette about a personal experience, within a very limited word count. The paper promised to publish a good number of the "best" entries. There was, however, only one single monetary award. Although the assignment sounded easy enough, she almost passed on it, expecting there would be a huge number of participants across both countries. Then she had a what-the-heck moment and submitted something, with zero expectations... and proceeded to win the 500 Euro prize. As the saying goes, "Wie niet waagt, niet wint." Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Yes, thing is luck comes flying at you from the most strange places.
I have a good friend, known him 50 years. When he was twenty-seven, first time out of the gate, first book, he landed on the New York Times best-seller list. (I should point out the book was great, I tore through it in a 24-hour period.) That, quite literally, set him and his family up for life. (He's had ten or so books since then, all of which have done well.)
Sometimes, native talent activates luck. Sometimes, persistence. And sometimes, juts taking a flyer.
Luck is definitely an important factor. However, the first condition is to "activate" that luck by actually submitting something, even if you believe your chances to be slim. Case in point: my sister, a Belgian writer with three novels under her belt, recently came across a writing contest in a newspaper from the Netherlands. Her books get good reviews, but they are not "bestsellers". Considering the relatively small size of the Dutch-language population, very few writers in either country can make a living from book sales. The challenge was to write a vignette about a personal experience, within a very limited word count. The paper promised to publish a good number of the "best" entries. There was, however, only one single monetary award. Although the assignment sounded easy enough, she almost passed on it, expecting there would be a huge number of participants across both countries. Then she had a what-the-heck moment and submitted something, with zero expectations... and proceeded to win the 500 Euro prize. As the saying goes, "Wie niet waagt, niet wint." Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Thanks for the reply, Elisabeth.
Yes, thing is luck comes flying at you from the most strange places.
I have a good friend, known him 50 years. When he was twenty-seven, first time out of the gate, first book, he landed on the New York Times best-seller list. (I should point out the book was great, I tore through it in a 24-hour period.) That, quite literally, set him and his family up for life. (He's had ten or so books since then, all of which have done well.)
Sometimes, native talent activates luck. Sometimes, persistence. And sometimes, juts taking a flyer.