Have you cried “Uncle,” yet? Have you thrown in the towel? Are you finished with trying to write for a living or promoting your book? Has the economy and personal circumstances simply made it impossible for you to continue along the path of your heart’s desire? Are you just too frightened to live your dream?
Or are you still hanging in there? Are you pushing through the obstacles and finding new forks in the road?
I’ve been riding the tumultuous highway toward writing and publishing success for over 35 years. And don’t you know that there have been wildly wonderful times and those that tend to bring you to your knees. It’s another lesson demonstrating that nothing stays the same in writing or in life.
Even if you put the same number of hours in and expend the same amount of effort, a writing career or book sales are bound to fluctuate depending on what else is going on in the world.
But, what happens to you and your business is totally up to you.
I think that many of you have found this out already. You have either given up because you are just tired of the constant hassles—the ongoing need to promote yourself and your work—or you are stretching to the limit, putting in longer hours and even experimenting with new options and ideas.
Which scenario describes you?
If you’re still sitting on the edge—unsure of what way to go—perhaps it is time to reexamine your ultimate goals. Here are some questions to consider. Ask yourself:
• What does the process of writing mean to me?
• What am I trying to achieve or prove as a writer or author?
• Do I have what it takes to support myself through my writing?
• What steps can I take in order to keep writing or promoting my book?
Is writing so much a part of you that it hurts you to think of giving it up? If so, can you make the decisions and sacrifices necessary to make your writing pay?
Are you trying to build credibility in your field or expertise through your writing or through your published book? Or are you simply trying to show off to your friends? Make sure that your motives are pure and realistic.
Do you have the energy, imagination, creativity, stick-to-it-iveness, persistence and so forth necessary to make your writing pay? Or have you run out of steam?
Are you willing to take the steps necessary to stay in the game of writing or book promotion? You might want to consider taking my course on establishing a freelance writing career, for example. http://www.matilijapress.com/course_magarticles.htm.
If your book promotion well has run dry, consider reading my ebook, The Author’s Repair Kit, http://www.matilijapress.com/author_repairkit.html or sign up for my Book Promotion Workshop at http://www.matilijapress.com/course_bookpromotion.htm
If you are finishing up a book and don’t want to spend the money getting it edited, please reconsider this decision. Some of the best money you can spend on a book is money spent on a good editor. Contact me for an estimate: PLFry60@yahoo.com
This is no time to hoard your money when you need the education in order to pay your bills. Think about it. And I’d love to read your comments.