Definition of Success
I've been thinking a lot lately about my own definition of success. Here in the United States, we tend to view success and failure in stark terms. Success is measurable, usually in terms of dollars earned. By that measure, I'm a lousy writer, and Stephanie Myers is awesome. The most I've ever earned on a story is the $50 I got for writing "On a Christmas Eve" for Down The Chimney. I worked for months on that story, so, from a business standpoint, it was a lousy return on investment of time and resources. If I sell "The Synthia," I'll probably beat that number, but it won't be "quit your day job" money by any means.
My biggest success, metric-wise, has been on HarryPotterFanFiction.com, where Liam Wren and the Dragon Wand has over 18,000 reads. Divide that by 40 chapters and it works out to about 450 people reading the book all the way through.
Yet, there are books on that site that have a million reads. I've never been a featured author. I've never even won one of their annual prizes, the Dobby. Hard to say I've been a big hit over there.
Still, between my four stories, I've had 700 reads this month. The tough thing with Young Adult, as Stephanie Myers herself found out, is that your readers grow up. If your story doesn't touch the next group of kids the way it did your first group, you're forgotten, (and your books clog the shelves of used book stores across the country . . . .) My first HPFF readers, kids like Ripley and Chas, have grown up and moved on, and new people are reading me now. That in itself is encouraging.
I have a pathetic number of Twitter followers, yet, it's more than I had even a week ago. I'm on Tablo now, and the reaction to "Elena's Curse" was quick and very positive. Because of these two sites, I have fans in England and in Australia. It's not nothing.
And here on Goodreads, people read my blog and say they want to read my books.
The money may come in time, or, it may never come. As long as people read my work, and enjoy it, I can say I'm a success. I will keep writing.
My biggest success, metric-wise, has been on HarryPotterFanFiction.com, where Liam Wren and the Dragon Wand has over 18,000 reads. Divide that by 40 chapters and it works out to about 450 people reading the book all the way through.
Yet, there are books on that site that have a million reads. I've never been a featured author. I've never even won one of their annual prizes, the Dobby. Hard to say I've been a big hit over there.
Still, between my four stories, I've had 700 reads this month. The tough thing with Young Adult, as Stephanie Myers herself found out, is that your readers grow up. If your story doesn't touch the next group of kids the way it did your first group, you're forgotten, (and your books clog the shelves of used book stores across the country . . . .) My first HPFF readers, kids like Ripley and Chas, have grown up and moved on, and new people are reading me now. That in itself is encouraging.
I have a pathetic number of Twitter followers, yet, it's more than I had even a week ago. I'm on Tablo now, and the reaction to "Elena's Curse" was quick and very positive. Because of these two sites, I have fans in England and in Australia. It's not nothing.
And here on Goodreads, people read my blog and say they want to read my books.
The money may come in time, or, it may never come. As long as people read my work, and enjoy it, I can say I'm a success. I will keep writing.
No comments have been added yet.
