As I try to transition from a hobbyist writer into a (hopefully) published and paid author, I know that making it big like JK Roweling or Brandon Sanders comes down to luck as much as skill. That doesn't mean I shouldn't make a serious go of it.
Consider the Olympics. The gold medal winner doesn't win because the other runners didn’t train.. Everyone trains. There's a literally science to training for the Oylpmics. Often times, the finalists have slight bio-mechanical advantage. A lucky chance of genetics.
It might seem simplest to throw up your hands, “I know I don't have that x factor. I'm not going to win the prize. It's a waste of time.”
However, runners don't run just for that one specific moment of glory. That's an unsustainable motivation. They train and run, because they feel that the sport and journey make their life better. You hear terms like 'personal best' 'seeing how I measure up.' The contest itself is a prize.
I would love my WIP to get picked up by a big publishing house. I could have a PR manager help with selling and royalites would let me live a decadent lifestyle of gluten-free baguettes and hazelnut spread. Realistically, I'm probably going to pay for a few vanity copies for my friends and family.
The same is true for my social media presence. Before 2020 hit like a wrecking ball, my blog posts reached maybe three dozen people. There’s one comment thread – from my late gran. Why commit to every other week posts?
Like the runner, I think the version of my life where I practice and build discipline to write is better than the one where I don't. The world where I create a master list of post topics is better than the one where I dally around for 'inspiration' and then slink in past a deadline. It’s training –the journey matters as much as the end.
The effort I put into my writing habits does not guarantee I will have fame and fortune. The only guarantee is that I will have a better story to share.
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