This has been the worst month for ebook sales I’ve had in over a year. It’s easy to get worried after a certain period of time, say a week or two without a sale. You start obsessing about why the sales are down and whether or not you suck as a writer. The truth is, this is not a month by month, day by day sprint. This is a marathon race. Year by year, even decade by decade are more important than daily sales numbers. But as human beings, we are particularly well suited for instant results. Looking at the long haul is a weakness of being human.
Stop obsessing over sales and just write. That’s what I’ve decided to do this month. So what if I only sell three books all month? I’m getting within a hundred pages of finishing my next book. That is far more important than how many ebooks I’m selling. Because if I’m writing, I’m creating new product and I’m keeping my life centered and balanced. On the days I get to write at least a thousand words in my novel, I feel better about myself, and my abilities as a writer. In that way, writing can be a kind of therapy for me. It keeps me calm and happy on the inside. Happy, productive writers are always better than sad, unproductive writers.
So grab hold of that Long Tail and keep on writing. Years from now, your future self will thank you.
So glad that someone is reading what I write around here, Val. Thanks!
“On the days I get to write at least a thousand pages in my novel, I feel better about myself, and my abilities as a writer.”
You meant “at least a thousand words” right? If not, I want a workshop on writing a thousand pages in one day.
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