Over the past few months, I’ve seen writer friends post about giving up, about disappointment in sales figures, about having second thoughts of writing another book, let alone a sequel.
I thought about what they wrote for a long time and sympathised with them. After all, it is hard getting the sales you want – especially for your first book.
Then, this morning, I was looking at a similar post again and I thought: “What’s different about us? Why don’t I feel as depressed as they do?”
And then I realised my reason for writing.
Yes, I want to sell a lot of books. Yes, I’d love to have my books on the best seller charts. But more importantly? More important to me is to get the stories out there. If I sell one, I dance with joy – because it means there’s someone out there who may know me but likes my work enough to buy it. It means that I have either entertained or lightened someone’s day.
After 3 days in the work I’m doing – that’s a big achievement. If I can make someone feel better after reading my books – or give them lots of entertainment whilst reading it, then I’ve done my job. Even if it’s just one person. That’s someone who wouldn’t have read my story if I hadn’t written and published it.
Remember, though, this is only my outlook and not everyone thinks along the same lines as I do. Not everyone thinks or feels like me. So don’t judge a writer who posts that their sales are down and it hurts. That’s how they feel. It’s just as valid as how I feel. Remember, these people write for free until you buy a book of theirs. That’s when the joy comes to the writer.
J A Duxbury's World 