MIstaken Identity

The other day, I was reading a book from reputable publisher and noticed a mistake—a misspelling of a fairly simple word.

It was like nails on a chalkboard.

I got my start in copyediting and still serve as a student newspaper adviser, so I tend to notice EVERYTHING—a missing comma, a misplaced modifier, a misspelled word. These issues “stick out like a sore thumb,” as we like to say here in the mountains of Kentucky.

One of my favorite quotes is,

“Learn from the mistakes of others; you can never live long enough to make them all yourself.”

I would give you some attribution, but no one, not even Google, seems to know who said it. According to the “experts,” it could have been Groucho Marx, Eleanor Roosevelt, or Woody Allen. Wouldn’t that make a fine dinner party?

For years, I have taught the “new attendees” class at our statewide writers conference, and my main objective is to be transparent and to discuss my mistakes. And, oh, have I made mistakes!

Sometimes I think I am the “King of Writer Mistakes.” Here are some highlights:

1. I have submitted things that weren’t ready for other eyes. I arrived at my first writers conference with a printed copy of what I thought was the next red-hot bestseller. I figured someone would offer me a contract by supper on the first day of the conference, and I would return to the event the next year as the keynote speaker, with my published book in tow. Well, that STILL hasn’t happened. I finally realized I needed more training and more information about the industry. Many, many years after that first conference, I am still learning.
2. I have approached editors/publishers/agents without a proper pitch and plan. At my first big-time conference, I made appointments and had no idea what to do during them. I had no one-sheet and no planned pitch. I’m sure those people look back and chuckle. With many conferences under my belt now, I realize the importance of pitch and planning (Hey, that sounds like a book—don’t steal my idea!).
3. I have chosen not to follow up on offers to send in my work. Yes, I have been one of those people, who got an invitation to send samples to an editor but didn’t follow through. I’m still kicking myself. I have allowed fear and a sense of unworthiness keep me from connecting. One particular (unnamed) person intimidated me so much I almost quit writing. I have realized editors, agents, and publishers won’t actually eat you, and rejection won’t kill you.
4. Speaking of rejection, I have let it keep me from pursuing my goals. One year I had a promising “bite” from an editor. I submitted my work and almost immediately received a stinging rejection. I didn’t write for months after that. I  have learned rejection is part of a writer’s life, and I can’t let it get me down.

So learn from my mistakes, and keep writing and pressing on toward your goal.

God’s strength is made perfect in our weaknesses, and I am certainly living proof.

Carlton Hughes, represented by Cyle Young of Hartline Literary, wears many hats. By day, he is a professor of communication. On Wednesday evenings and Sunday mornings, he serves as a children’s pastor. In his “spare time,” he is a freelance writer. Carlton is an empty-nesting dad and devoted husband who likes long walks on the beach, old sitcoms, and chocolate—all the chocolate. His work has been featured in Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Dating Game, The Wonders of Nature, Let the Earth Rejoice, Just Breathe, So God Made a Dog, and Everyday Grace for Men. His latest book is Adventures in Fatherhood, co-authored with Holland Webb.