I don't know if everyone thinks like me, but when I embark on something new, like epubbing, I have expectations and hopes.
With expectations, I try to be completely negative - I will sell nothing. Everyone will laugh at me. I am a freaking idiot.
Then I have the hopes - OMG, I'm going to sell a million copies my first week out. People will call me the next JK Rowling (even though my books are nothing like hers). I will be a gazillionaire.
Then there's reality, which falls somewhere in the middle. I've sold nearly 300 copies of Anathema in two months. I've gotten some really amazing reviews. I've also gotten a couple not-so-amazing reviews. I'm happy with what I've achieved, but I'm sure I can do better.
Yeah, that's the only part of me that sounds like a rational person. Too bad the other 2/3 of me sounds a little, well, nuts. ;)
Is everyone else like this? Trying to balance the positive with the negative, yet settling somewhere in the middle with reality?
You should be proud of what you've accomplished. I think it's a great sales figure for short a time span.
ReplyDeleteYou have to be a bit delusional to do what we do. Hope for the best, plan for the worst, expect nothing.
ReplyDeleteI'm kind of hoping for the middle ground myself. the middle isn't a bad place to be at all!!! :-)
ReplyDeleteI think we all probably have our ups and downs. I know I often have doubts about my book. Is it good enough? Will it sell? Will people leave me good reviews (it will finally be available as an ebook in May)? But you clearly have nothing to worry about, you've already sold 300 copies. That's fantastic!!! And good reviews as well. Don't worry about the not-so-good ones. If they were all great, people would be dubious. Congratulations on your success!!
ReplyDeleteOh God yes! I'm writing my first, and had a total tail tuck moment this weekend when I argued that the romance "genre" is due for some new voices and insights because of the virtual monopoly Harlequin has had for um....decades. Specifically, can we have degrees of the Happily Ever After. You'd have thought I spat on Danielle Steel or something!!!! This made me seriously rethink the whole, do I really want these people to read and comment on my book?
ReplyDeleteBut, we're all part masochists, and pleasure is never so sweet without a little pain before it. Besides, I read some of the reviews on a great book by Sophie Kinsella, her latest in the Shopaholic series. Everyone gets nutjob reviews/flak, even J.K. Rowling.
But yes, like you I'm going to try to suspend judgement on my "success" as a writer until the end of next summer when hopefully, my second book will be out for a few months.
I've even talked to traditionally published authors, some very successful, who still worry that they aren't good enough. We're in a subjective industry & we all have to learn to grow a thick skin while still remaining vulnerable.
ReplyDeleteUgh - let's all take a drink and keep writing. ;)