It seems that everywhere I go lately all I hear is negativity, and blogs are no exception. The other day I read about the restructuring in the publishing industry on at least four different blogs. I won’t go into details because I don’t want to add to the Chicken Little mentality. If you want to know more, the facts are easy enough to find.
I understand why people post this stuff, and if you’re one of those people, don’t think I’m dissing you for it. I’m just saying that I think there’s a distinct drawback to doing so. It makes me feel hopeless every time I cruise my blogging circuit. And there’s enough for a not-yet-published author to feel bad about when reading the blogs of agents, editors, and published writers. It’s hard enough, facing the realities of making it in this profession. Why do I want to subject myself to more negativity?
There’s another problem with propagating bad news. It creates panic in the general population. This is the same process that has caused the stock market to do its roller coaster impression these past few months. People hear about the jobless rate, the auto industry, the housing market, and every time a tidbit of bad news is announced, the Dow takes another plunge. Well, I’m here to tell you something. The Tao is mightier than the Dow. We don’t have to be slaves to the stock market, and we don’t have to be slaves to bad news in general.
Forgive me for going all Pollyanna on you, but how about a little good news? How about the fact that I saw gas for $1.69 yesterday? Sure, the price of gas is an indicator of our troubled economy, but why not look on the bright side? We can now afford to drive to work. The farmer can afford to buy fuel for his tractor and ship his produce to market, which means we can stop paying so much for groceries. If I’m doing the math correctly, I calculate a 250% savings in gas from its all-time high price of around $4.23 a gallon just six months ago. Isn’t that worth celebrating?
It’s time for us to take control of our thought process. It’s time to develop a little yes-we-can mojo and reverse this downward spiral. If spreading bad news is enough to deflate the economy, then spreading good news should be enough to stimulate it. I challenge all of you to find something worth celebrating and start talking about it. I think we’re on the verge of some very powerful positive changes in this country. And if you happen to be stewing about all the damage the current administration has done in the past 8 years just consider this: Maybe that’s what was necessary to create the momentum that swept Obama into the White House.
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Yes, I arduously avoid the debbie-downer blogs. I KNOW life is hard, the publishing business is unpredictable, war rages, money is tight. Constant reminders don’t help, and don’t change anything (except for the worse).
Along with remembering positive things, I also try to focus on what I can control. For example, if publishing is having a shake-out, work on writing an awesome book that no one could refuse and on diversifying your talent.
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I just blogged about this today. Thanks for this. Maybe your could write the book – Tao of publishing (Tao of Pooh for adults 🙂
Shelli
http://www.faeriality.blogspot.com/
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You and Sara Z both make great points. It’s almost gotten to the stage with me that I cannot bear to watch the TV news. Times are tough. Times have been tough before. We’ll get through it or we won’t. But stewing in it only makes us feel worse.
My Pollyanna turn is this: I am hugely grateful for the internet, for networking with other writers, and for the wonderful world of the kidlitosphere!
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I agree with Lisa that we should look for the bright spots in life. A certain fascination exists in looking at the dark side, especially when events seem to spiral into a black hole, but a change of focus can help to distance us from the doom and gloom neighborhood. I’m not a church goer but I remember the old hymn, “Let The Sunshine In.”
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I agree with all of the above. I’d never been obsessed with the news, but this election really pulled me in. I’ve had to wean myself back off of it because it’s just one negative thing after another. I love reading blogs and news with interesting, positive, uplifting stuff!
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Now that’s some cheap gas! Why aren’t you driving here for a visit? hehehe. . . .
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In the past fifteen years that I’ve been paying attention, all I’ve heard is how the publishing industry is on death’s door for one reason or another. Even when the rest of the economy was booming, publishing news was doom and gloom. Not to say that there haven’t been negative forces at work–there have. But publishing has survived. Changed, but survived. I agree, Lisa–we can be informed and aware of what’s happening without getting mired in the negativity.
What’s worth celebrating? Bookstore shelves full of books, the heft of a good novel in my hand, the chance to be part of a wonderful industry. Let the sun shine in!
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Yes I agree. I think Faith has power to turn things around. Beauty has power. So lets go there together!
Thanks for the sweet comments. Hope you enjoy the joy and Art on my blog.
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Yeah!!!! Nicely said Lisa! I try to stay my optimistic self. It is hard to do so when you see & hear so much negativity all around us.
I try to always smile even when I’m not feeling like it! Its nice to see it spread around a room, It can change an entire atmosphere and come back to you.
Even when I dont agree with something someone says, or does or who they vote for. I think we can all agree to disagree sometimes & still get along. That is what I hope. At least I dont waste my time on people that cant do so.
You know what I really hope though? ….. Is that people would stop all the hating politics! I am a democrat btw… But I think that we could not have gone wrong with either of them. They are both Great Men!…. I wish more people would step outside themselves for a minute & see how they look. Be fair & Just is what I say…. if you drag one through the mud,… just as when put on a pedestal, the other should be treated equally. Let them be judged by the content of their character!!! Not what is biasly revealed on the TV!
Thanks for a positive post.
We could all learn from thinking positively once in a while! 🙂
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