Specialty store – pile of books on a window ledge. Hmm…someone’s a reader . Back in 15 minutes with a copy of Expedition Borneo – a free giveaway to – let’s call him Noah, for the sake of giving a name to the story, and a couple of weeks later I get a personal thank you email from a new fan – who loved the book!!
How rewarding and encouraging is that? There’s a lesson there. But first, the email:
I don’t know if you remember but you and your wife came into the store one day and you ended up giving me one of your books “Expedition Borneo”. I just wanted to say thank you very much for the gift, as well as I absolutely loved the book the mixture of adventure, romance, suspense and comedy made it an extremely enjoyable read. I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed it, as well as I have already told lots of people about it and I am also in the process of purchasing the rest of your books because if they are even half as great as this one I am very excited to read them.
Again I say, How great of an email is that?!!!!
“Hey, someone’s a reader” was very clever of me. Just joking. But a couple of years ago I wouldn’t have said anything. I guess I have become thicker skinned, hardened to the dis-interest, but have realized a couple of things. One, they could just have said no or nothing at all, thus shutting off the conversation. But I would have lost nothing. Two, the adage, “Nothing ventured, nothing gained” is so true. If you are a reader here, you’ll know I have worn a t-shirt to the gym every time I go. It has a picture of one of my books on the front – my name on the back. In six months only one person has commented and asked if I write. But that was one more card I handed out. Baby steps is what it is for most of us who do this as a hobby for self satisfaction or who can’t afford to pay the multitude of promoters who assail us each day.
For some, who don’t have the aspirations of selling hundreds of thousands of books and getting movie rights, it might be the challenge of the chase. How many books can I sell today, this month? For others, it might be simply the excitement of preparing for the book signing or the book fair: talking about your books to other writers or book seekers who might purchase a copy.
I believe the key is to find your comfort zone. Be comfortable with how much time you spend on it, how much money you invest and how much you are enjoying the experiences you drop yourself into. Keep your writing, hobby or career, in the right perspective and regardless of sales, the experience will be enjoyable.
I know I meander and keep coming back to some concepts – but that’s because I think they are crucial to new writers – to those still finding their way. And it’s my website. 🙂
The picture is there because its a cool picture and would be a great place to read a book.
