With thousands of variables affecting every stage of the writing process, I’ve had my share of doubts, too. My personal expectations and standards challenged the reality of what was in the industry.
I took a step back, and discovered it’s expensive to be an author. I could spend thousands of dollars promoting my work, but when it’s said and done, the stories will only resonate with certain readers. It’s trial and error finding those people. This is true for all authors. The luckiest writers get a helping hand in the form of excellent distribution, emotional support and camaraderie in their publishing house.
I don’t allow myself to stress out. I write. Some readers will like it and some won’t. While I love validation as much as anyone, getting hung up on book sales and comparing myself to other writers sucks the joy out of storytelling. My goal is to create something that someone will love and to do it better than last time. Success comes in different forms.
I saw an interview on YouTube that put this topic into perspective. The writer who created Spiderman was told his idea was ridiculous. His publisher was just about to pull the plug on a comic series he was working on. In fact, the final issue was going out. He went against the boss and included Spiderman. He even had it put on the cover.
When the sales report came a month later, interest and sales had skyrocketed. His Spiderman revived a dying publication. His advice to us was to ignore the idiots who want to discourage you. If you feel you have a good idea, develop the work. Some people in the industry don’t have a clue, but they like to plant seeds of doubt in a writer’s brain. Others aren’t that toxic, but they’re not helpful.
One of the variables we can’t control is there’s always someone who wants to knock someone else down with negativity. Let your mind be your safe zone. Negative thoughts hinder a writer’s confidence and creativity. Imagine a world without Spiderman.
Thank you, Ellen. You said something I really needed to hear tonight, and I think others could benefit from it as well. It’s so important to keep everything in perspective. You can write a great book, but it might not resonate with everyone, and that's okay. I also loved hearing about the Spider-Man story—I'd never heard that before!
I have moved on from romance, but as the author of a series that falls into that genre (among several others!), I agree with what you have written above. Thanks for posting, Kay.
With thousands of variables affecting every stage of the writing process, I’ve had my share of doubts, too. My personal expectations and standards challenged the reality of what was in the industry.
I took a step back, and discovered it’s expensive to be an author. I could spend thousands of dollars promoting my work, but when it’s said and done, the stories will only resonate with certain readers. It’s trial and error finding those people. This is true for all authors. The luckiest writers get a helping hand in the form of excellent distribution, emotional support and camaraderie in their publishing house.
I don’t allow myself to stress out. I write. Some readers will like it and some won’t. While I love validation as much as anyone, getting hung up on book sales and comparing myself to other writers sucks the joy out of storytelling. My goal is to create something that someone will love and to do it better than last time. Success comes in different forms.
I saw an interview on YouTube that put this topic into perspective. The writer who created Spiderman was told his idea was ridiculous. His publisher was just about to pull the plug on a comic series he was working on. In fact, the final issue was going out. He went against the boss and included Spiderman. He even had it put on the cover.
When the sales report came a month later, interest and sales had skyrocketed. His Spiderman revived a dying publication. His advice to us was to ignore the idiots who want to discourage you. If you feel you have a good idea, develop the work. Some people in the industry don’t have a clue, but they like to plant seeds of doubt in a writer’s brain. Others aren’t that toxic, but they’re not helpful.
One of the variables we can’t control is there’s always someone who wants to knock someone else down with negativity. Let your mind be your safe zone. Negative thoughts hinder a writer’s confidence and creativity. Imagine a world without Spiderman.
Thank you, Ellen. You said something I really needed to hear tonight, and I think others could benefit from it as well. It’s so important to keep everything in perspective. You can write a great book, but it might not resonate with everyone, and that's okay. I also loved hearing about the Spider-Man story—I'd never heard that before!
I have moved on from romance, but as the author of a series that falls into that genre (among several others!), I agree with what you have written above. Thanks for posting, Kay.