Kamis, 25 November 2010

Elusive Recognition


If you click on the title of this blog you will find a very interesting article by Leslie L. Sanders. Leslie has some great ideas how to gain recognition as an author. It's well worth reading.

I certainly can relate to my newbie brother and sister authors out there. The road to recognition is long and perilous. Trying to find help on the Internet is akin to wildebeest crossing an African river during migration. The crocs are hiding and just waiting to pounce! During my first year out as an aspiring author, I got pounced on more than once. Unlike the wildebeest though, I came out unscathed except for an empty wallet and savaged pride.

Except for your Print On Demand partner, if it costs money, run like hell in the opposite direction. And, when it comes to a POD partner, you better make sure you do your homework before committing your manuscript and money. I personally recommend Wheatmark, Inc., mainly because I did my homework and Wheatmark delivered by publishing my first murder mystery. They are also publishing my sequel as you read this blog.

My second year as a published author has been spent establishing my author’s credibility, finishing my sequel, along with starting my third murder mystery. Oh, did I tell you the second year is tougher than the first? Sorry about that. No one said it would be easy, and if they did, they either gave you bogus information because they didn’t really know, or just wanted your money. I’d be betting on the latter.

You have to give yourself at least five years of promoting, building credibility, pressing the flesh (as the politicians would say), and keeping the wolf from the door. While you are doing all of that, you need to keep writing works that are unique, fascinating and page turners.

Now enter the real challenge. Are you over-the-top passionate about what you write? If you are and family and friends are clamoring for more, continue to write. Don’t quit your day job, and dig in for a five-year uphill adventure. If you are not super passionate about your work and no one seems interested, don’t shoot a dead cow. Find something you can be passionate about and go forth onto a different path.

If you are now insulted and indignant, it’s time to take that other path. Of course you wouldn’t have read the last sentence anyway because you would have already gone to another site that is telling you how simple it is to write and publish a book. Come on in, partner, big bucks and fame are just a few short months away! Good luck, Charlie, you are about to be removed from your hard-earned money.

There is no magic formula for writing success, but here is the formula I use:

Passion + Commitment + Perseverance + Unique Books = Success

There is still no guarantee you will ever make money writing, but with the formula above, at least you have a fighting chance.

Write on,

Mittster

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