Authors and Their Books: What would really happen if you hit it big as a writer?

[Neil]

For years, I dreamed of hitting it big as a writer. That dream kept me going through twelve hour days slaving in a corporate kitchen, through hard financial times, and even through bad relationships. The dream got closer when I signed with a top NY agency and even closer when editors of big publishing houses were requesting my stuff. But alas, the big viral hit still hasn’t happened. The books are written and are being written, and quite a few are available for purchase and have sold in the thousands. But, the dream of big riches still eludes me.

But, thanks to Kindle and all the other ereaders out there that dream seems more attainable than ever. So, what would really happen if I woke up one morning and my sales were through the roof? Would I immediately quit my job, sell my house, and move to the Florida Keys to write my days away? Would I go get insanely drunk? Would I buy a new car? Would I announce to the world that I’ve made it? Hard to say.

One thing I would never stop doing is writing books. I think that’s what separates real writers from wannabe’s. No matter how much fame and fortune may come my way, writing must always come with it. If I hit it big tomorrow (hopefully, prayerfully) not much is going to change inside me, but a Hell of a lot is going to change around me.

To read more about me and my books please check out my blog: ALWAYS WRITING http://www.neilostroff.blogspot.com

[Roger]

Neil: You are so right. I have thought along the same lines but I find myself giving my books away so that people may read them.
Do we not have a driving compulsion to write. If we were in solitary in prison then as long as we had a pen or pencil and some sheets of paper then we would not go mad, we would write.
Think about Sozhenitsyn and what He went throuhg. To read On Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich tells it all. and in all that he kept his humanity and his sanity by writing.
Do we have children and grandchilren? We tell them stories. Do we join in a social gathering? Sometimes but most of the time we see subjects to write about and we wonder about their stories.
Do we read or hear the News? We think how we could have expressed it better. Do we read someone else's work? We spot the typo's and split infinitives and we work out how we could have been more expressive.
We write, but we keep sane even if other people wonder why we are content to be alone with our thoughts. If only they could have such wonderful, colourful, glorious thoughts as ours.

[Neil]

Thank you, Roger.

[Matthew]

For starters, I would start using the nickname I've always wanted "Rich uncle Matt", and have the money I needed to back it up! Then I'd do what I always wanted to do with it and pay off my friends debts or buy them that something they always needed, like a car or a bigger house so they could start having kids and building their families.

And I know what you mean. Today, it seems that the "big break" is no longer realizable. Instead, you have to depend on a series of smaller breaks, but which can very well build up to a big following and a solid reputation. Sounds like you're farther along that chain than I, so I wish you the best of luck and hope that I can follow!

It is all about the passion, isn't it? At the end of the day, so long as you can say "I'm doing what I love and that's all that matters." I mean really, how many people get to say that and honestly mean it?

[Anne]

You would be rich-LOL!

[Bryan]

Neil, you're absolutely correct. Whether rich or not, a writer writes. But if someday, for whatever the reason, you or I, or anyone suddenly found out that their sales are through the roof and they have become the next Stephen King, or John Grisham, the most important thing we have to do is remain smart. As with any art form, success is good, but it can come crashing back to earth at any time. If we're not smart, it will hurt.

If it was me, yes, I would probably want to at the very least pay off some bills and get my finances in order. But even before that, I would only "keep" a small portion of that. If it was possible, I'd keep just enough to live off per month. The rest would go into either a savings account, investments or simply the tin can out in my back yard, and I would do that up until the point that the fame and riches I had are gone (or until I'm dead!). Then at least I would have a little bit of a nest egg to fall back on in case I need it. Basically, I would pretend, to the best of my abilities, that I wasn't "rich" at all. As they say, money doesn't buy happiness... but it sure helps with security!

But that's me. Don't know about anyone else.

[Leigh]

I'm right there with you. I don't want multiple cars, a big house, or expensive things. As long as I have a roof over my head, my medical bills paid, and enough food on my table to keep me healthy, I'm happy. If by some insane miracle I became rich, I'd become a philanthropist. Money hoarding (saving millions upon millions of $$ while there are so many people starving and homeless) is a mental illness....

[Bryan]

Leigh wrote: "I'm right there with you. I don't want multiple cars, a big house, or expensive things. As long as I have a roof over my head, my medical bills paid, and enough food on my table to keep me health..."

Here here. I've definitely thought about starting up some type of program wherein I could give back to those who are struggling, should I have the means and the funds to do so. I give when I can now, but it's gum and tic-tacs for what I'd like to. (But, then again, every little bit helps, doesn't it?)

[John]

I would finally wash my hair.


http://amzn.to/122cnyF

[Kathleen]

It sounds great, but I wonder if then the pressure intensifies and converts into making sure the next book is as good or better than the last. That exists in any case, but at least a lot of nervous people aren't looking over most of our shoulders right now. If this hitting it big happens, though, my husband and I have a list of charities. And with the right attitude, it could be fun!