The definition of a Successful Author
You would get a different definition of “a successful author” from every author you asked, except the one constant is it is quite unlike their present existence. The proverb, “the grass is always greener on the other side” is so popular because most people want what they don’t have.
People often talk about “when they become a full time author” as the sort of life they would choose to lead that would eliminate as many of the heartaches and pain and maximise the amount of pleasure and fulfilled dreams that writing full time brings. Even though I don't earn enough money to make a full time income from my writing, I have to be honest that I am writing full-time.
A person with no money is likely to want a life with plenty of money and with freedom from financial worries. A person with a big income and heavy responsibilities may want a less complicated life. But we all think of “success” in terms of desirable things we do not have.
To enjoy life completely, we would want to be healthy and we would want to have the time to do the things we enjoy, and an income to match. As authors, we all want to lead rich, satisfying lives surrounded by the people we love, and for them to lead “the good life” too, either paid for by our writing or with the time to do nothing other than earn an income from our writing.
For me, the measure of being a successful author is not just a matter of possessions, popularity, health, good looks and the like, although that would be nice, and it has to do not so much with what I have but who I am as an author. None of this ‘fake it till you make it’ hype. My happiness has always been genuine with my writing and that will never change. Success and happiness are not mutually exclusive. My definition of a successful author, when I really feel like I have made it, is when my books no longer hide on the bottom shelf under W in bookstores, if they appear there at all, perhaps on their own little cardboard stand and when my family are supported by the income I make from my books and associated business activities. This is not everyone's idea of success, but it's a good idea to work out what your idea is so you have goals to work towards.
From the bottom of my heart and the bottom of the bookshelf, I wish you every success in attaining your goals as an author.
Talk soon.
x Michelle
www.michelleworthington.com
People often talk about “when they become a full time author” as the sort of life they would choose to lead that would eliminate as many of the heartaches and pain and maximise the amount of pleasure and fulfilled dreams that writing full time brings. Even though I don't earn enough money to make a full time income from my writing, I have to be honest that I am writing full-time.
A person with no money is likely to want a life with plenty of money and with freedom from financial worries. A person with a big income and heavy responsibilities may want a less complicated life. But we all think of “success” in terms of desirable things we do not have.
To enjoy life completely, we would want to be healthy and we would want to have the time to do the things we enjoy, and an income to match. As authors, we all want to lead rich, satisfying lives surrounded by the people we love, and for them to lead “the good life” too, either paid for by our writing or with the time to do nothing other than earn an income from our writing.
For me, the measure of being a successful author is not just a matter of possessions, popularity, health, good looks and the like, although that would be nice, and it has to do not so much with what I have but who I am as an author. None of this ‘fake it till you make it’ hype. My happiness has always been genuine with my writing and that will never change. Success and happiness are not mutually exclusive. My definition of a successful author, when I really feel like I have made it, is when my books no longer hide on the bottom shelf under W in bookstores, if they appear there at all, perhaps on their own little cardboard stand and when my family are supported by the income I make from my books and associated business activities. This is not everyone's idea of success, but it's a good idea to work out what your idea is so you have goals to work towards.
From the bottom of my heart and the bottom of the bookshelf, I wish you every success in attaining your goals as an author.
Talk soon.
x Michelle
www.michelleworthington.com
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