Control: Losing…
Losing.
I, Dalton Lewis, writer extraordinaire, am used to losing.
So are the Chicago Bears.
I’ve written twenty or so novels. They aren’t bestsellers. That sucks.
A lot of you read them, but not enough of you buy them for it to pay for itself. That’s on me, not you. Why should you? I haven’t written something you consider a masterpiece yet. I wrote Teen Slasher Zero and got pretty damned good ratings. No one gave it a huge, five-star review, though. You — reader — haven’t rated it a masterpiece. Why?
I don’t know. Trying method after method to make a novel unforgettable and perfect and marvelous hasn’t worked yet. Most recently I tried to write an essay about the novel as I wrote it. The characters had to be perfect, I decided — wonderful, fully realized characters had to face a horror slasher villain. I thought that would make for a dramatic and heartful story.
I created Jalon and Beatrice. Jalon is the ultimate geek leader, fearless and wonderful, scared and having no idea how to stop a slasher killer — but wonderful nevertheless. No one believes him that his friend was murdered. Beatrice is the pixie goth girl who turned beautiful in high school but still remembers how horrible the pretty people can be to everyone else. She tries to figure out the meaning of life while mourning lost loved ones.
So many stories in Hollywood have the thinnest of characters die in droves against horror slasher villains. My characters have depth and passion when they die. Why isn’t mine better? It isn’t. That’s on me.
I won’t quit. Why won’t I quit? Twenty novels and no profit equals a failure. I have failed at my chosen profession. Will I give up?
No. I will try harder on the next one.
I promise you: it will be better.
The Chicago Bears also know losing.
The fans are giving up after one loss. It was an ugly loss, albeit to a great team — the Washington Commanders. Chicago lost to a last-second Hail Mary play that was botched by the Bears and nailed by the Commanders. They had been losing all game until coming back with a touchdown with 25 seconds to go in the game.
Do you know what I think about the Bears?
I think the Bears played beautifully and that a team needed a last-second miracle to defeat them. I think the game was a classic. I think the Bears should congratulate the Commanders and try harder the next week — a tough game against the surging Cardinals. They’re in first place, just like the Commanders. That will be another difficult game.
They are laying blame. Podcasters scream about coaching mistakes. Well, mistakes were made. Yes. The coaching will get better, though, and the team will improve.
Have I lost heartbreakers? Yes.
Have the Bears lost heartbreakers? Yes.
Will we quit?
Hell no.
We’ll work harder next week.
Thanks, and take care, friends.
