That's what I tell my kids. If you want to get better, you gotta do the work. Whatever it is that you want to get better at. Writing, and becoming successful at it, is no different. I recently did a four-night book signing event beneath a 10x 10 tent. One of those days it was raining, one it was foggy and damp. It would have been easy to just not go. I didn't have to. But instead of staying home in a comfy chair beneath a blanket watching "The Crown", I went. I sold twenty books that rainy night, so I am glad I did. In all the number of sales for the event was close to fifty. That's fifty books in the hands of people who'd never heard of me. Those people may tell a friend, or loan them a book after they've finished reading it. They might do the same, and so on and so forth. There's really no way to tell what might come of the event, but I'm sure it will be good whatever it is.
During the event, no less than three people told me that they wanted to write a book or that they "had tons of ideas for books in their heads". My response? "Well, sit down and write it." They came up with excuses and reasons why, but the long and short of it was that they didn't want to do the work. I understand. It isn't easy. It's not glamorous. There are tons of setbacks, rejection letters, and 'No's" awaiting us all. But there also might be a great reward, if they did the work. But therein lies the devil, doesn't it?
Behind every "overnight success" lies years of hard work and determination. No one gets famous overnight unless they shoot a president or someone equally important. Those people did the work, but they did it for years when nobody knew them.
That is the stage I'm in now. I'm doing the work and someday, if things turn, people will read my books and say, "There's this new writer I found..." and that's okay. I will be new to them, just not to you all who visit this site and read my ridiculous musings. You can say, "Oh that guy? I've been reading his stuff for years."
Comments