F for Failure

When I started grading my writing, I assumed that a "C" grade put me in the category of an average person. However, many people have never written fiction, even fewer have written novels, and fewer still have had any fiction published.

Grading myself against the average, everyday person, isn't fair to me, or to all those other people!

So today some clarification. My grading will be of my fiction writing, compared to other fiction writings.

I will assume here that anyone who has been published deserves, at the very least, a passing grade. That would be "D-" in our system. Most fiction is a lot better than that, thank goodness!

However, by setting this standard, I now find myself in the "F" category. Since I am not published, I'm not earning the grade. :(

I've always been a good student, actually much better than average. I'm good at homework, and learning, and schmoozing teachers. When I take a class, I pass. And I usually receive a "B" grade. Suddenly I am in the "slacker" category of students. I can't even get my stuff turned in, much less get a grade for it!

Times like this, I want to quit. What a stupid project this whole thing is. I'd be better off taking swimming lessons, or going horse back riding. Or sleeping. Or drinking a lot of wine.

But suddenly here I am, at my little blog, and working on my stories. I've chosen fiction writing to be the work I master in. I can't stop.

Time to re-think my "grades" to see how I stack up against other fiction writers, and to continue to work toward publication.

Time to get to class. Even if it is "remedial". Sigh.