Recipe for Writing Success
By Carol Celeste, Orange County Branch
Julia Child enjoyed perhaps the longest continually successful career in history. Enjoy is the key word. She loved what she did. The ingredients she used to become a chef extraordinaire also can work for writers.
Spot emerging trends – Child figured Americans would embrace French cooking techniques if they were presented in a simplified way. Editors publish work that appeals to readers’ current needs and interests in clear language.
Study with the best – Although Julia (she’s much too familiar to call Child, rules aside) demystified French cookery, she studied at Cordon Bleu in Paris. Writers who master the rules of language and usage produce creative work that attracts more readers.
Keep it simple #1 – Julia focused on the basics of each technique. She condensed browning meat into three needs: hot oil, dry meat and a roomy pan. Good writers focus on the message, the readership and the communication vehicle.
Sample your work – Julia said, “You have to eat to cook.” Writers have to read their own and others’ works to learn techniques and improve the quality of their own output.
Train continually – Julia promoted the mastery of utensils and never stopped learning from other chefs, although she is considered the master teacher of modern cooking. Writers increase career options by learning new software and styles, by trying different genres and by attending workshops and conferences.
Don’t sweat the small stuff – For Julia, disasters were only setbacks to be covered by a good sauce. When the chicken hit the floor, she picked it up, rinsed if off and carried on without a fluster. When rejection come (and it will, repeatedly, even for established writers) successful writers address a new envelope, stuff it with the rejected item and mail it the same day. Then they get back to the current project.
Keep it simple #2 – Julia advocated preparing only one complicated recipe per party or meal to get the most enjoyment, least stress and best results from cooking efforts. Writers who fill their days with many involved projects struggle with time and earn fewer credits than those who focus on each assignment.
You’re never to old to start – Julia’s first TV show aired when she was 50 (after giving up becoming a novelist). Romance writer Elizabeth Chater had published one book per year for 30 years when I heard her speak–at the age of 90! Writing is a career suited to aging. The older we get the more experiences we have to share and the more interesting perspectives we’ve witnessed.
Sample don’t gorge – Julia prepared elaborate meals but advocated sampling, not gorging. Writers do well who resist the urge to let their love of words make them overwrite.
By focusing your work on the proven principles of master career manager Julia Child you, too, can share your passion with fans for decades. It only takes the right ingredients and techniques.