So, What Are You Learning?
Self-publishing is the School of Hard Knocks
I guess I’m not the only one to make that discovery.
The worst thing about the school of hard knocks is that no one ever seems to graduate. There are no progress reports to measure success, at least none that last for long. Every success seems temporary, but every apparent failure is long remembered. Self-publishing is filled with gurus who are ready to share their profound discoveries with you – if you have plenty of money to send their way. Yes, they are successful, but often is is from draining the bank accounts of other authors who aren’t doing as well. If only they could use that credit card one more time to buy the latest $2497 course from “bestselling author” Joe Blow… If only! In the meantime, these authors struggle, driven by a compulsion they cannot explain to their marriage partners on the good days, or to themselves on the worst.
They read books on how to promote their books, only to discover that the author has several bestsellers but doesn’t make enough money to pay for the expensive courses either. But that doesn’t stop the determined author. No, he plunges forward to watch another webinar that will unlock the mysteries of making six figures a year, a month, or maybe even in a week! Of course, at the end of the webinar, there is an offer for a course that only costs $297. Don’t let that worry you. They accept VISA, MasterCard, or American Express. After all, they guarantee it will bring your dreams into reality.
How does the eventually successful author learn? He does become a drop out from the school of hard knocks. He stays involved in learning all he can, any way he can, wherever he can. The main thing he does is write. Then, he looks over all the red annotations from the editor and weeps. He makes corrections and learns some. He learns productivity and consistency. He learns to help others enrolled in the same demanding school. He makes friends and even begins to sell a few books.
When he turns to look back at those miserable years, and all the hard lessons, he may have a tear or two. But, they aren’t the tears of the hopeless. He weeps over the day he learned to format a book for Kindle. He remembers the day he wrote 2800 words in the same day (and the editor kept most of them). He looks back for just a moment, only a moment. After all, the keyboard is calling. He must finish that chapter today!
