When we envision a successful writer, be it Stephen King, J. K. Rolling and many other GIANTS of modern literature, we tend to create a very distorted image of the success as a writer.
In a few words, we think that the ONLY WAY to be a successful “writer” is to write fiction, be it fantasy, horror or smutty erotica.
We think that writing stories is THE ONLY WAY for a writer to be successful, and most end-up writing half-cooked stories and “try hard” for DECADES to reach nowhere at all, only to realize they should be doing something else.
Now. Before I go on with my point of what “something else” means, we MUST clear our grounds of understanding in a few terms, so hang with me on this.
The terms to which we have to clear grounds on are: “Writer” and “Success”.
- “Writer” is just a person that writes. That’s it. Writer isn’t just a person who “writes stories”, or “who writers fiction”, or “who writes best-sellers” or even “who is published”, no. A writer is a person who writes continuously and as his main craft or hobby. It’s a doing.
- “Success” is just doing what one planed to do. Simple. BUT, for the sake of argument, and in order to fit our goals, let us define success as “making money”. OK? Good.
So, as per our definitions, a “successful writer” is that who makes money out of his writing! GREAT!
Notice, however, that this DOESN’T specify what type of writing you do! This is CRUCIAL, and here’s why: Remember when I said, earlier in this article, that most writers burn themselves out for decades without getting somewhere? Yes. Have you ever stopped to think why?
You see, more than 3 THOUSAND books are published by the hour in every genre imaginable, – yes, I made that up but I’m pretty sure I underestimated the numbers – and although most won’t make it, here’s why, they still create a big ass problem: They increase the noise and competition in the market.
So, ask yourself this: “Do I have the resources, the strength, the patience, the will, to get my book through all that ever increasing clatter? REALLY?”
If you think that your book is special and it will add value to people’s lives and raise above the noise, like my book Lifter does, well, go AHEAD! It might even be one of our TOP 10 BOOKS OF THE YEAR! Who knows?
If you are writing just another erotica-billionaire-submissive novella, well… May Shakespeare be with you.
It’s a LAW! The higher the supply, the lower the price, and if your book can’t differentiate itself IMMEDIATELY, well, it’s a bust, and don’t think that crossing-over John Wick with Jaws and Karate Kid will save you. There’s nothing original in crossing-over what we have already seen.
So, WHAT To do? Open your eyes and realize that there are MANY other opportunities BEYOND fiction!
HECK! Look at me! I write BOOK REVIEWS, BOOK REVIEWS! And am paid to do it! Why? Because, as per my clients reviews, I’m pretty good at what I do.
HOW can YOU do it then?
It’s simple: Write something, ANYTHING, that will help others. Something that not many people write about, avoid fads and trends. Write something that people NEED to read. Educate, inspire. SOMETHING. But do it very, VERY well. They will p ay you. As long as it helps THEM!
A little secret though: You don’t even have to like – “be “passionate” about”- it! Just be VERY good at it. Like, HELL, I don’t particularly “like” writing reviews, but I LOVE helping out writers in being successful ,- and mulla – so, YEAH, I do reviews, great ass reviews.
Try it,and stop focusing on writing fiction, or you’ll waste a LOT of your time.
Hope this article helped. Do let me know in the comments XD.
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