Writer Wednesday: Handling What is Out of Our Control

I think most of us like to be in control. I mean, that's a big reason why so many people are self-publishing. They want control over their stories, their release dates, their blog tours, etc. But...there are some things we just can't control, whether we are traditionally published or self-published.

First, you can't control sales. You can't. We can write the best book (in our minds) and we still can't make people buy it. Even if you offer it for free, you can't force people to download it so you can have a great rank on Amazon.

Second, you can't control reviews/readers' opinions. We love our books. Of course we do, or we wouldn't have written them. But not every reader is going to "get" our books or even like them.

Third, you can't control your release date. Publishers have to adjust release dates for a lot of reasons, and honestly this doesn't bother me much at all because they are doing what's in the best interest of the book and author. One of my 2014 titles was pushed back a few months, and I'm fine with it. The book will be better for it. But if you are traditionally published or if you self-publish, Amazon likes to do what it wants. They are known to release books early. We can't do anything about that.

Fourth, we can't always control our characters, nor do I think we should. I take it as a great sign when my characters throw my planning out the window and run with the story. It's their story, so I'm happy to let them tell it.

I could go on, but I'd rather hear from you. What are somethings we just can't control in this industry? And how do you handle them?