When Mediocracy is Good Enough

I watch America's Got Talent every week, crying when a contestant gets a standing ovation or the gold buzzer. Excited that they found their courage to take the step and share their talent with the world. But not all have that something. Most of them are average people hoping and dreaming they have that something special.

Aren't we all like that or am I the only one? Hoping deep inside, there is a talent that you can share with the world. Not to be famous, or make money but to be really really good at something. I have tried to learn so many things in my 60 some years. Ice skating, (could not do it) music--piano and the guitar and finally realized I am not musically inclined. Same with singing--my father told me to give it up. Ouch. And then I dreamed of acting but instead was given backstage duty in my senior play. I tried out for cheerleading, couldn't do the flips, and so I tried color guard. Not a chance. The list goes on. Is yours similar?

Then I turned to my love of writing. Surely someday I would be another Stephen King. Someone would read my book and make it into a movie. I'm sure all writers dream that dream. I'm no different. Finally reality stumbles through my door and reminds me that a zillion people write books. Few rise to stardom. Few books turn into Hallmark movies. Instead you must read reviews that make you cry, market into a vast void of emptiness and pat yourself on your back that at least you "did it."

I count the years I have left to pull out of average--out of mediocracy. Maybe if I studied harder. Wrote more often. Hired more editors. Maybe, maybe. Maybe I'm just not that good.

Ugh.

Like my musical ability or my physical abilities, maybe these other talents I'm trying to cultivate will always be hobbies and nothing more.

The question is: Is that ok? Can I live with being an average writer, photographer, etc. What if the one thing I'm good at will never be publicly applauded or recognized? What if the one thing I'm good at will always be between God and me? Is that enough?

Of course I know the answer. It's the answer that pops up each time after I work through another meltdown. Another reality check.

I have one audience and that is always enough. His applause deafens anything the world can bring at me.

Self-publishing three months later

It's been awhile since I've written a blog post so I thought I would share what's been happening with my book and writing life in general. It seems blogs and reading them are so time-consuming anymore with all the other social media one has to keep up with.

On Memorial Day, I gave my book away, THE BEND, for free. One day. 1,000 readers took me up on my offer. Much more than I expected but I did it as a promotion. The next day my Amazon rating was much lower, Then I sold the highest number of  books on Tuesday. My page reads also increased significantly. All in all, the promotion did what I had hoped it would do--create more interest in my book. A few weeks ago, I did a Panera gift card giveaway and to enter the person only had to follow my Amazon page. I gained over 1400 followers who will be notified when my next book comes out next year.

All this promotion work isn't easy. But it is necessary or my book will never get out there. Posting a book on Amazon guarantees no sales at all. It's work. Hard work. I miss just writing but so far I have made more money doing the self-publishing route than I did in three years with a publisher.

I am also deep in checking out all these book promotion sites such as BookBub --but there are smaller more affordable ones I am using first. I have one set up for next Sunday for $15 and a free one the same day. I am using Amazon's promotions and will offer a reduced price on my book in August or Sept and combine it with one of these promo sites.

I consider this year with THE BEND the time to learn about book marketing to prepare for my next novel. Maybe I'll be better at it when I release the next one. Also doing work with setting up an audio version which can be done through Amazon as well. Got to take a deep breath to dive into that one as there is a learning curve there too.

Finally, I am editing with my CP's help my next book for the second time around. A chapter a week.

And my son-in-law wondered if I was bored at home all day.  Not A Chance.

Why do we writers write?

Here are my facts:

Traditionally published book 2015 with medium-sized publisher--sold almost 500 books made a little over $100 in royalties so far.Took two years to be published and write. Paid editor $$$+

Self-published book two weeks ago--sold over 50 books and have made more in royalties than above. Took over a year to write, a month to publish, paid editor $$$+

Article for magazine this fall--took ten minutes to write--earned $100 for 1,000 words. 

Chicken Soup for the Soul --took ten minutes to write--earned $200.

So why do we write with these kind of facts? In my ten plus years of writing, I know of only a handful of writers who made it with a big publisher and/or got a three book deal. When I owned a bookstore and attended conventions, I dreamed of becoming one of the writers people stood in line to get an autographed copy of their book. In reality, I knew that dream would never materialize.

But is it the dream that keeps us going? Surely not the time or money.

For me it comes down to this: I have stories I want to share. I want to take others on the emotional journey I have gone on. I want one or two people to think about what I wrote and maybe it will make a small difference in their life.

Is it enough and is that dream satisfying enough? 

Go back to the top of this post and spin your own numbers. But maybe you will be one of those who breaks through, makes a ton of $$ and I stand in line for your autograph. I hope that is true because it offers still more hope to many.

I write. I share, It's what I do. 

And it's enough.