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As a writer, it’s very easy to get overwhelmed. We meet all these people online, or maybe even at a writer’s conference, and we realize there is this huge mass of bodies chasing after the same dream.It’s so easy to look at those around us and start to feel heavy, or maybe even hopeless. It’s so easy to start wondering, “How can this ever happen for me, when a million other people are all in the same boat, waiting for the same chance to jump on the overcrowded shore?”

I think we can all safely raise our hands and admit, that yes, similar thoughts have crossed our mind. No matter what stage we’re at on this writing journey, it’s difficult not to compare. It’s easy to read an amazing book and think, “I’ll never be able to do that.” Or to read all these wonderful blogs and think, “How will I ever make it when all these other awesome writers want the same thing?” After all, the space is limited. It’s not like everybody who aspires to write a novel will get published. Heck, it’s not like everybody who’s actually written a novel, or multiple novels, will get published. Even having an agent is no guarantee.

So how do we deal when the giant mass overwhelms us?

In his book, The Art of War for Writers, James Scott Bell offers some of the best advice I’ve ever seen.

He invented a pyramid. It goes like this:

At the bottom level, the one with the most room, is The Wanna Be. We’ve all run into these people. These are the people who say, “I’ve always wanted to write a book” or “I have this great story inside of me.” We all start here. After all, we wouldn’t write a book if we didn’t think we could, or if we didn’t want to.

One level above that, with a little less space, is for those who are learning. These are people who don’t stop at wanna be. These are people who read craft books, agent/editor blogs, go to conferences, and are actually attempting to write this novel they say they want to write.

One level above that, with even less space, is for those who’ve finished a novel. For these people, writing is no longer lip service. They’ve actually put in the work and have pages to prove it.

Above that, with even less space, are those who’ve completed multiple novels. People who haven’t just put in the work once, but have committed to doing it again. And again. And again.

Above that, smaller still, are those who haven’t just written novels, but have gotten them publishedand have actually gotten paid for it.

And above that, at the very top, are those who are multi-published.

The higher the level, the smaller the space. Not because there’s less room and only the really cool people are allowed in, but because the higher you go, the more work that’s involved.

So what’s the point of the pyramid?

First, it shows that we all start at the bottom.Nicholas Sparks, JK Rowling, your critique partner, your mentor, your blogging friends…all of us have started at the bottom. There are lots of people at the bottom. Because, let’s face it, being at the bottom of the pyramid is easy. Any Joe Shmoe off the street can say they want to write a book. Wanne Be’s are everywhere. It takes grit, hard work, and perseverance to step up to the next level.

Second, the pyramid helps us focus on one level at a time.We all start at the bottom, and we all move up one level at a time. Sure, some might move faster through the pyramid than others, but nobody skips a level. It’s a lot less overwhelming for me when I stop staring at the top of the pyramid. It’s a lot less overwhelming when I stop trying to figure out where everybody else is on the pyramid. Everything becomes a lot simpler when I step back and say, “Okay Katie, where are you, and what can you do to get to the next level?”

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