Writing Is Not a Race

by Fragon Calfbreaker

The truth is, we as humans by nature are a competitive bunch. It's necessary for survival (or at least, it used to be), and even as early as kindergarten we've been exposed to that dreaded natter, "I got something that you don't!"

We as writers are no different, although sometimes we like to think we are. We see someone writing and the usual gut instinct is to compare our writing with theirs, particularly when the other writer is of the same age (or younger) than we are. We like to see if they are better than us, and if they are, sad, frail beings that we are, we usually admit defeat and let our writing spiral downwards. This is sometimes true even when the work we are looking at is done by a professional.

So it's not a big surprise that a good chunk of people from the Inheritance community (anti OR fan) compare themselves to Paolini. The most common I've heard involves fans who hold Paolini to a certain standard, and the moment they reach that feel it is enough to get them published. These people are doing themselves a disservice by not being exposed to superior writing styles. It is not adviseable, after all, to write only to get published. It demeans the value of your work and usually gives your reader the impression that it's flat and uninspired. Let's not forget that Paolini--whether you agree with the content of this site or not--was published under special circumstances. The chances of this happening to you is about the same as getting hit by a speeding cable bus.

That's the first kind. It's the other kind, however, that I am more concerned about, and that we all should really be aware of as a whole community.

Many so-called Paolini-haters seem hell bent on destroying every facet of Paolini's writing. It is one thing to say these things in a joking manner. It is another thing to let this hatred or this need to override all that Paolini does overwhelm you. I am not kidding when I say that I've met people in this community who have done nothing but criticize everything Paolini has done, whether it is actually a good or a bad thing, and then later go on to say that they would never dream of doing such a thing. It's almost as if they are using Paolini's obvious "lack of talent", as it has been called, in order to fuel their own writing.

Some of these people are actually good writers who are somewhat insecure about themselves. Others are disillusioned, thinking that because Paolini is "bad", they are automatically better. Again, this mode of thinking is about as bad as it gets. To think like this would be to stunt your growth as a writer. You are holding yourself up against a standard which is not very high. As some may say, wake up and smell the cheese. It is no big accomplishment to become "better" than Paolini, and that's in the rare instance that you actually are better than Paolini. I can't count the number of people I've seen who think like this and yet are actually very poor writers.

Because the truth of the matter is, writing isn't a race. If you continue to look at it as such, you are going to get stuck. You are going to believe you are so bad you should never touch pen or paper or computer again, or you are going to believe that because you are better than a particular writer that you are the BEST already. No, no, no. Writing is not a race. Writing is not a competition.

Writing is a personal accomplishment, a dance with yourself. There is no greater satisfaction than working hard on your own writing and then reading it--without looking at another page of someone else's work--and knowing it stands on its own. You will always find people better or worse than you. Don't worry about them--worry about yourself, worry about pushing yourself as far as you can. Will Paolini care that you write better than him? Will your readers care, when they're reading your novel, that you're better than Paolini? You can only beat yourself in this game, and even then, it's like running a one-legged marathon.

Break off the internet, pull up your own writing. Think on it, and write. WRITE. That's all there is to it, that's all we're in for. And then when you're there and you know the feel of your own success, then you can truly consider yourself a writer.