I Don't Care

Remember that old song, I Don't Care? I like the lyrics because they paint a pretty good description of me.


I had an almost argument with a friend the other day; I say almost, because when I realized she didn't/wouldn't believe that in most cases I don't care what others think, I changed the subject. It wasn't worth getting upset over because...I didn't care if she believed me or not. :-)

I have a small group of people who I hold dear what they think of my behaviors and actions...to a point. Another example, if my mom says she hates my new tattoo I don't care. Would I rather she like it? I guess... it's a tattoo, not a kid. Would a compliment have been nice? Yeah...who doesn't like those? But her liking it or not in the end doesn't matter.

Same with people liking me in general. It's nicer if people I meet like me, especially when it's, say, in-laws. It's certainly easier. But if they don't, it's not a requirement. How could I make them anyway? Not everyone is going to.

I've experienced this phenomenon in other areas besides the interpersonal, such as dancing. There are a million forms of dance, each with its own rules and criteria of what is deemed "good." The ballroom community, for example, believes they have the ultimate criteria down pat. I don't agree. So if a ballroom person doesn't like the way I dance... I don't care.

So what does this have to do with writing? You know I'm going to tie it in somehow. :-) I've had people ask me if I "care" what publishers think of my work. That depends on what is meant by "care." Do I care if they want to buy it? Yes! It's a huge bummer if a desired publisher rejects one of my manuscripts. But do I care if they like it? No. Here's why. At this point I know I can write, so it doesn't bother me if a particular publisher thinks I can't, and some rejections do imply that. Are compliments nice? Very. But I'd rather have a "mean" we want your book but it needs a lot of work rather than a "nice" we love your book but we can't use it.

Every publisher has its own set of criteria of what is good. If you want to be published you have to conform to each unique set of specifications, and by that definition writers have to "care." But in my opinion, caring if they like it or not is too subjective to base one's ego on.

Same goes with people :-)

I'm happy-go-lucky,
they say that I'm plucky.
Content and carefree.
They say I'm crazy, got no sense,
but I don't care.
They may or may not mean offense,
but I don't care.
You see, I'm sort of independent.
I am my own superintendent.
And my star is on the ascendent,
that's why I don't care.