So...Here We Are

So here I am, trying to get used to living in the midwest. I'm a west-coaster -- used to mountains, big distances between cities, and lots of ethnic restaurants. I'm also used to living close to the ocean, a relatively liberal body politic, and a coffee shop on every corner. And I find myself in Indiana.

I'm lost all the time. There are no mountains to gauge my travels, so I always assume I"m heading north. I've not yet caught on to midwest geography, so I'm apparently less than a four hours' drive to anywhere -- Chicago, Detroit, Indianapolis, Cincinnati. Not that I'd necessarily want to go to Cincinnatti...it's just interesting that I could. There's not much ethinic food here -- since I don't consider Irish pubs, American-Chinese takeout, or places that serve pizza as "ethnic." (Why is it that people who own Irish pubs think Americans can't stand Irish food? They're always larding up the menu with things like "Dublin Tacos" and "Limerick Chicken Wings." Trust me -- if I want tacos, I'll go to a place with the word "Los" in the name.) I'm far from the ocean, the politics are what you'd call "midwest," and they're just discovering the importance of coffee as being a  key aspect of God's overall plan for our lives.

So you know, I'm not making fun. Just pointing out that the US is a huge country, and life really is different in Indiana than it is in Oregon or Washington or California. I haven't figured this place out yet. If you have "life in the midwest survival tips" for me, send them along. For now, it's on to the writing wisdom...

Danielle wrote to ask, "In 100 words or less, what is the best writing advice you ever recieved?"

That's easy... On page 71 of Strunk & White's Elements of Style (3rd Edition), they give this advice: "Write with nouns and verbs, not adjectives and adverbs." In the words of E.B. White, nouns and verbs "give to good writing its toughness and color." Similarly, in his insightful work, On Writing, novelist Stephen King goes into great detail on this advice, pointing out that any reader can understand the combination of a noun and a verb: "Mary sighs." "Computers crash." "Book illuminate." In my experience, authors (particularly novelists, but ALL authors) tend to use adjectives and adverbs to dress things up when they can't find the right word. But that's nothing more than lipstick on a pig. The right word is what good writing is all about. If you want punch and strength in your writing, write with nouns and verbs.

Melissa wrote to ask, "How do you define success as a writer?"

Years ago I used to teach a workshop on "how to create a master plan for your life." At that workshop, I used to tell my audience that "success is the feeling you get when you reach your goals." That may sound shallow to you -- the notion that success is nothing more than a feeling. But I still stand by that definition. If you set a goal of getting one book contract this school year, and you actually sign a deal, that wonderful feeling you have is the feeling of success.

That, of course, is why some people never feel successful, even if they've sold a boatload of books. If an author feels he or she deserves a $500,000 contract, but is only offered a $50,000 advance, there's a feeling of failure. That might seem crazy to you, if you're sitting there waiting for somebody, anybody, to offer you a thousand bucks for your unpublished novel. But that's my point: success, more than anything else, is a feeling -- an internal judge on our external work. If you teach a writing workshop and everybody pats you on the back and tells you you're the second coming of Sherwood Anderson, you feel successful...until you read the participant evaluations, and find that people thought you wandered a lot, some didn't appreciate your sense of humor, and at least one thought your haircut was ugly. Suddenly you feel like a failure (and it's amazing how one bad comment can take away your feeling of success). Some days I feel like a successful father, since Patti and I have raised three pretty well-adjusted kids. (Um...okay, that's basically due to Patti. She did all the hard work. I basically tried to stay out of the way and pay for things.) Other days I feel like a complete failure as a father -- I missed Molly's lacrosse games and forgot to attend enough of Kaitlin's ballet rehearsals. Success, more than anything else, is the feeling I get when I reach my goals.

Is that shallow? Of course it is. That's why I think a writer should think about more than temporary goals. Who wants to live their life solely on the feeling of the moment? I don't. I want my kids to know I love them, whether I'm feeling like a successful father or not. I want to have peace with God, whether I currently feel like a nice Christian boy or not (and, let's face it, too often it's "not"). Success is awfully fleeting -- as soon as your successful book starts to wane, you have to go do another one to regain the feeling of "being a successful author." So that's why I remind myself there's something more important than success in my life -- there is the concept of significance.

Again, going back to the workshop I used to teach 20 years ago, I would encourage participants to not only have goals that would make them feel successful, but to have some sort of activity that would make them significant. And I defined significance as "making a difference in the lives of people over time." As a writer, I encourage you to make a commitment to significance. Do something that will better the lives of other people. Teach someone to read. Help them learn English. In my view, true happiness and peace in life are not found in the temporary good feelings that come with success, but in living with the knowledge that we made a difference in the lives of others. In the Christian faith, nobody ever achieved sainthood by exalting themselves -- greatness was found in giving themselves up to others. I still think the most overlooked message in modern American churches is that joy is found in giving, not in getting.

Look, some of our best writers have not enjoyed much success. Poe considered himself a failure. Hawthorne never felt successful. Their "success" (in terms of book sales) came after their deaths. And some writers who acheived big success died unhappy because they couldn't retain the feeling -- take a look at the lives of Hemingway and Fitzgerald. Maybe they focused so much on their own success they could never see themselves being significant in the lives of others.

Just a thought. Appreciated the question.

chip

Comments

[Janice Thompson]

Chip,

Of all the places you named (within driving distance) Chicago holds the most appeal. If you ever find yourself on a freeway headed that way, just keep driving. :)

[Jim Rubart]

Powerful post. Thanks.

[Richard Mabry]

Chip,
Academia obviously agrees with you, despite your difficulty adjusting to life without mountains, an ocean, and ethnic food. Thank you for the advice about success. I have to agree with you--which is, in itself, a scary thought.

[Lisa DeLay]

Thank you for the perspective, Chip. Fleeting feelings are trumped by influence and impact, and fetch something the heart cannot find elsewhere. How true. And it does the world a much greater good I might add. It's great to get some vitamins here. The cure to the Midwest blues is ROADTRIPS. I agree with Janice. Start with Chicago.

[Ronie Kendig]

I so appreciate your comments about defining success. This comes at a very appropriate time for me, when I'm struggling to define that for myself.

Most of Central Texas is flat, too--about as big as the land gets is the ant hill. :-D (okay, so that's an exaggeration, but you get the idea...)

[Jean Wise]

I live about an hour north of Ft Wayne and our mountain in flat Williams County is the landfill. Imagine how pitiful that is!
Really I would not leave the midwest. I love the people. The landscape and its changing colors are wonderful to watch. I love being in the country yet only a few hours from great cities. Maybe while you are here reread Dakota by Katherine Norris. A wonderful book about what a different landscape teaches.
Thanks for your insight about success and significance. Great insight. I keep some your comments and this is a keeper.

[Jennifer Tiszai]

A hearty amen to those first three paragraphs. I never knew what I had in California (especially good food and coffee) until I moved to Indiana. Though I am looking forward to experiencing my first real fall. Winter? Uh, not so much.

[Stevie Rey]

At this point, Chip, I'd settle for a Starbucks giftcard and bag a funyuns for my manuscript...ANY TAKERS!?

Gosh, I hate movin' too...sorry ya had to endure that.

Steve

[Jess]

Enjoyed this post, Chip. In fact, it made me feel pretty successful. I love your comment:

"success is the feeling you get when you reach your goals."

It came to me that my most consistent goal has been to encourage others. Once I even entertained the thought of starting a city-wide Encouragement Ministry just so I could push others toward trying to achieve their dreams. But then reality took over and I realized what a big job that would be, and how I way too often need encouragement myself just to get through the week.

Anyway, wanted to tell you that last week I reached a goal. I sent a call-out for a devo to a friend and encouraged her to submit. Yesterday, she wrote to tell me her devo was accepted and it's her very first byline. Don't I feel good? For me and for her. Success!
Thanks, Chip. Your posts always make me take a look at who I am and what I want. They never fail to make me think.
Jess

[Marilynn]

Great post, Chip. I really enjoyed the thoughts on significance vs. success.

[Carla]

Chip, as I was contemplating what one piece of advice I could give you about living in the Midwest, it came to me..."the one finger wave". When you're driving out there in Indiana, (especially off the highway) you may encounter another driver raising a finger on the steering wheel as you pass by. Before you start thinking that we're all a bunch of nasty, mean-spirited rednecks, be aware that in the Midwest we have what is called the "one finger wave." Rather than lift the whole hand and wave, many folks just lift their forefinger off the steering wheel to acknowledge someone and say hello. They do this with friends and stranger alike. Midwesterners are probably the friendliest people in the country and we also don't like to waste a lot of energy. So that's my survival tip.

[Pam Halter]

Great advice about success. Now we just have to remember it. HA!

[Donna K. Wallace]

Chip, I'm remembering a Chinese meal we shared once in the Springs. While dining there I was introduced to an immigrant family who needed help learning English. I don't know if you met your literary goals that year, or how success may have been measured shortly thereafter, but the impact one man made in the lives of that family is a story I won't soon forget.

Thank you.

[Camille]

Appreciated the answer as well, another example of the reason I tell people your blog is a must read.

I'll make it a point not to take my beloved Pacific Northwest for granted now, and since I'm in favor of God's overall plan, I'd like to send you a pound of Starbucks. Just tell me where.

[Daniel Darling]

Chicago also has a one-finger wave. But its not to say hi. And its not a very nice finger.

[Annette Smith]

Well said, my friend.

As you know, after a dozen books, I'm taking a planned, eighteen month break from contracted writing to focus on my work as a hospice nurse. Writing books is awsome. Nothing like the thrill of seeing your name on the cover of a new release and receiving praise from enthusiastic readers. But if asked which of my jobs fulfills me the most, feels the most right, I'd say it's the one done in a quiet, dark room where no one knows and no one sees.

[Pam Meyers]

Hey, Chip, I think Colleen Coble lives there in Fort Wayne. I'm sure she can direct you to all the great coffee spots in town. We're looking forward to you pointing your car down that Indiana Tollroad toward Chicago and visiting our ACFW chapter soon! We don't have the ocean or mountains but you can pretend Lake Michigan is an ocean. At least you can't see the other side. LOL. See you next week in Dallas. More flat land LOL

[Pam Meyers]

I have no idea where my comment went. It was something about finding Colleen Coble around there in Ft. Wayne and she can point you to all the coffee places. Looking forward to having you make your way down the Indiana Tollway to Chicago to visit our ACFW chapter! We don't have an ocean but you can pretend Lake Michigan is one. See you next week in Dallas!

[Sam Pakan]

Wow. (Please note, no exclamation point. Great, huh?!)

Listen, I feel it my job to always leave a smart remark in the comment section. Well, today I'm unsuccessful in reaching that goal. This was wisdom. Thanks.

[Julie]

At least you've got 4 seasons, Chip. It's not only flat in Florida, it's too dang hot.

You might want to consider buying a GPS. It prevents you from getting lost AND can escort you to all the coffee shops and ethnic restaurants in your town.

Bonus: You can set the voice for a British accent, and feel just like James Bond.

[Dave Rhoades]

Thanks for the 100 words, I have read On Writing about a dozen times, not kidding, I have it on audio and listen over and over. I also have Strunk and White, love it. As for the midwest, we pastored there for quite a few years, in Kokomo, IN. What I remember is, hot, humid, flat, humid, lots of clouds, did I mention humid?
dave

[J. Jones]

Maybe you and Patti should consider my old stomping grounds, Pea Ridge, AR, for your next adventure. If you want a good burger, you go to the high school football game. For a cup of coffee, you drive to the NAPA auto parts store, and for evening entertainment, you can stand in the yards of my relatives and watch them throw hubcaps at each other.

[Danica/Dream]

Wow, Chip. I think this post has been one of your most commented on since your really bad poetry contest. Definitely a lot of great stuff in here- I'll have to come back a few times to let it all sink in.

I do love your frustration at not having the mountain navigation system. I feel the same way when I leave the mountains. I don't know how those flatlanders do it!

[Brandy of The Building Brows]

I asked myself a while ago what defines success, and concluded that for Christians, it cannot be based on feeling because feelings lie. Success must be defined by whether or not we have done what God asked of us. If we have, we have found success.

With this definition, we can reach success daily as well as over time in broader areas. At the end of the day, I want to know I've pleased God by doing His will, His way, in His timing. That is true success.

[chip responds]

Thanks for that tip on the one finger wave! I've been trying it all over town. So far most people have just responded by throwing rocks at me, but I'm assuming that's another one of those funny midwest cultural differences. -chip

ps: And I appreciate the tip on vacation spots, Jenny. Tell your family I'll stop by to "wave" at them.

[colleen Coble]

Indiana will grow on you, Chip, especially since you've left that far country of California where all the fruits and nuts live. LOL We have coffee! Believe me, we have coffee shops. There's a great one on the southwest side that is a roaster and they make their mochas with Ghiradelli chocolate. It's the best I've had anywhere in the country!