The Worried Author

Today a lot of authors are wondering if it's a good idea to go with social networks. In the old days everything happened by word of mouth. Today we are more knowledgeable of our surroundings and we have more routes of communication. If anything, social networks can help you get the word out about your book. You will not blow up over night, but at least it is a start. I think many times we feel like everything is happening at snail speed. You have to understand that it takes time to build an audience. The most important thing you can do it stay the course. I remember when I was in college, there was this one professor that told us that many of us would not finish our degrees. He went on to tell us that it didn’t mean that we wouldn’t be successful because a lot of successful people in America don’t have degrees. Success is reachable if the person is willing to work for it.

 So, the question is what will it take for us to reach our goals? It will take drive. It will also take the ability to network. While those two things are important…there also needs to be a level of real talent in order to make everything possible. Don’t think that you are in this all by yourself. As new authors we are all feeling the same thing. We are anxious. The publishing world is now more competitive than it has ever been. So, embrace the idea of change. Don’t run from it!
 Don’t close yourself off to the world if your numbers aren’t at the levels you want them to be. Keep trying, don’t close doors. Don’t fight with the companies that sell your books. It’s not their fault  that you are having a hard time. Just re-route the course that you are on. Try to reach out. Above all don’t listen to negative people. Negative people will only bring you down, and if you let them they will help to end your career before it gets started.