motivation

Quitter, Quitter

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This post, by J.A. Konrath, originally appeared on his A Newbie’s Guide to Publishing on 10/13/13.

I was on Kindleboards reading about the reaction to my last blog post where I shared my numbers.

During the discussion, someone brought up all the writers who have given up. It reminded me of a blog I wrote back in 2005, called Quitting. It’s worth reading. Go do it. You might also want to check out the comments, because I drop a lot of my philosophy about what it takes to succeed. Keep in mind, when I wrote this, I was netting about $25k a year writing.

I realize some may consider that successful, but it wasn’t enough to satisfy me. And it’s a big part of the reason I kept working my butt off.

I can now earn $25k in two weeks, or sometimes in a single week.

So, has my attitude changed since 2005? Do I think differently now?

I’ve said for years now that ebooks are forever, and forever is a long time to find your audience. It took me twenty years, from writing that first novel to making good (not great) money.

Are you willing to work for twenty years without pay? Without success (whatever your definition of success is)? Are you willing to keep at it, keep trying, keep learning, keep experimenting, when you may not have anyone to encourage you but your dog?

 

Click here to read the rest of the post on A Newbie’s Guide to Publishing.

 

NaNoWriMo Dialogues: “On Doubt, Talent, Failure, And Quitting “

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This post, by Chuck Wendig, originally appeared on his terribleminds site on 11/18/13.

You: I made a terrible error.

Me: You tried to punch that coyote again.

You: No.

Me: You huffed wood varnish and got lost in the mall.

You: No. Well, yes, but that’s not the mistake I’m talking about.

Me: You ate all the bacon again.

You: That’s not a mistake. That’s me fulfilling my manifest destiny.

Me: It’s a mistake because when you eat all the bacon, I turn into Bacon Hulk and I rip your puny form to Kleenex ribbons out of sheer, baconless rage.

You: I see your point. I didn’t eat all the bacon, it’s still downstairs, chillax.

Me: Nobody says “chillax” anymore. The new word is “coolquilize.”

You: JESUS GOD WHATEVER can I tell you my mistake now or what?

Me: Bleah, sure, go for it.

You: I’ve been reading other people’s work as I write.

Me: Reading is fundamental. Writers who don’t read are like screenwriters that don’t watch movies, like architects who don’t strop up sexually against elegant skyscrapers, like professional killers who do not admire the work of other professional killers from the telescoping lens of a distant hijacked drone. Writers have to read. It is an essential spice to this broth we’re brewing. Writers who don’t read are missing their souls.

You: Fine, yes, yeah, I just mean — some people have been posting their NaNoWriMo projects. Like, snippets or whole sections and, hoooo heeee unnnnh — *rocks back and forth while massaging temples* — I have discovered through this that I am not good enough.

Me: Oh, god, more of this again. Okay. Huddle up. Writing a story is in some ways an act of obstacle management and you’ve gotta manage all the obstacles accordingly — jump all the fences, hop all the ditches, elbow all your enemies right in their spongy tracheas. One of the biggest obstacles is self-doubt. Doubt is the vampire you invite into your house. Doubt is bedbugs and hobos — it fucking lingers, man, like the scent of cigarette smoke in your curtains, or the odor of cat piss in your carpets.

You: So, what do I do about doubt? It sounds like a demon. AN ACTUAL DEMON THAT REQUIRES SOME KIND OF EXORCISM IS THERE A BOOK A HOLY BOOK PLEASE HELP.

Me: The book you’re writing is the holy book.

You: Wuzza?

 

Click here to read the rest of the post on terribleminds.

 

LIVE streaming Internet Radio (Talk) Show to help promote indie artists

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My name is Bobby Ozuna, author of the literary fiction novel: PROUD SOULS, public speaker, ghost-writer and host of a new Internet Radio (Talk) Show called "The Soul of Humanity" My show was designed to offer a platform for independent artists–from musicians to authors–and promote their efforts to create success within their passions. I have also begun featuring industry experts, such as a lecture agent, a marketing agent (coming soon) and industry leaders pertinent to the world of indie arts.

"The Soul of Humanity" streams LIVE every Wednesday night @ 7PM CST via the Artist First (World) Radio Network and reaches a world wide listening audience of over 7,000 listeners with an archive feature, so your fans and followers can catch re-broadcasts of your show at any time and any date.

To help indie artists who are not ready for an interview, I offer a "plug" feature where for a simple $10 USD contribution via PayPal, you can have your book or CD title, your name and a brief description of your product plugged LIVE to my listening audience at $10 per show/week.

If you are interested in sponsoring the show or being a guest, or simply having your work plugged LIVE to my world-wide listening audience, please contact me here: bobby@ozunapub.com.

 
…supporting the independent arts…

~Bobby Ozuna  | www.OzunaPub.com  | "Drawing Stories…With Words"