Maybe you’ve never even considered giving up on trying to become a published author. Maybe you’ve got so many things you want to do and you’re not even close to wanting to quit.
Good for you.
I have had so many moments when I just threw in the metaphorical towel and said, “nope. It’s not worth it.”
A lot of us have this moment when you stare at your ‘books sold’ and wondered what happened. Or hen you stare at the computer screen and just blink and blink, hoping and praying that words will come to you but that passion has *fwoop* flown away along with what was left of your confidence as a writer.
That’s me, anyway. That’s me way more often than I want to admit.
To this I say one thing. Do you write for the money, or do you write for the love of writing?
Obviously, nobody gets into writing because they hate it. I mean, it’s not like a fast food job. At least a fast food job pays LOL! No, what I mean is, are you looking for easy money/glory or are you writing because you’re not capable of not writing.
I am in group B. I’ve been writing since I was little, writing my first novella at age 13. For me there was never really a choice. I had stories coming out my ears since I can remember. It was only when I was in my early twenties that I thought I could maybe publish. I could share those stories with other people!
It wasn’t as easy as I thought it would be. (Check my post next Tuesday for my epic struggles with being a jack-of-all-trades self-published author)
Now, to get to the heart of the subject.
Some people write and never publish. Those are definitely people who write for the love of writing! That was also me for many, many moons. And as you can imagine, when I finally took the chance and published, I expected a blow-up Fifty Shades Of Grey situation. An instant Bestseller!
That’s not what I got. What I did get after much anticipation was…nothing. Not one page read, not one download, and not one clue as to how people sell books.
I’ll get into my story in another post, but I can tell you right now, after spending so much time on book one, I was ready to give up and never post again. My hopes that at least someone would read my book were dashed.
It took me months before I finally decided to publish another book, and again, there was nothing.
That was when I realized something important. I’m not writing for anybody but me.
I know, I know. Put the pitchforks away. We write for our fans and of course if you want to have even a chance at bestselling list, you have to write what’s popular. But when it comes to it, we have to write what we know. We have to write what we’re passionate about. Otherwise you might as well be a ghostwriter for yourself, making soulless books and adding to the masses of white noise in the industry.
No, write what makes your heart race and what stokes your passion. Even if nobody ever reads your book, you’re writing for you. Keep publishing, keep getting better. Keep learning and improving and changing the way you tell stories to become even more vivid and lovely.
Now, there was this person I know who spent years on a book he wanted to publish. He spent time, money, and effort on something he wanted out there for the rest of the world. The problem is, when he published, he got zero downloads and pages read.
This, my friends, is what separates people into category A or B. This person in question put down his metaphorical pencil and said “I quit.”
When you’re faces with the choice to give up or to keep traveling that rocky, jagged road that is self-publishing, go in with eyes wide open, and know that almost nobody has an instant hit. Unless you have a degree in marketing and social media mumbo jumbo and stuff, you’re not going to hit the top of the charts right away.
I’ve had small successes that I cling to like a life preserver and of course everyone’s successes are different. When I first started and had four books out, I would get five pages read and I felt like a rock star. My successes have changed over time, and so have my expectations of myself as a writer. But when I feel annoyed and frustrated that my recently released book falls flat on its face, (which happens more than I’d like to admit,) I remember one thing.
Even if I never made money. Even if I never got fans or reviews or anything, I remember that I’m doing this for me. I’m writing because I have to. I’m writing because I think people out there would like what I have to say, and if I get lucky enough that someone else sees it, then awesome! If not, then I know. I love it. I follow my passion and I don’t let setbacks get in the way.
If you’re writing to get rich, well, you might want to re-think the plan. If you’re writing for the love of words and stories and literature, then I say don’t give up. Find that piece of you that breathes for it, and hold on. Don’t be that guy and throw in the towel because your book wasn’t as well received as you wanted it to be. Remember why you do it. Of course, keep improving. Nobody is so perfect that we don’t need to get better at something. Me for instance, I need a better editor! LOL! I’m working on it. We’re all working on something.
Get someone on your side, be it friend or family or email buddy, and reach out for the support you need.
You can do it.
Keep creating and bring that magic into the world.
