It's IWSG Day! Time to rock the writing world! Many thanks to Alex J. Cavanaugh and the co-hosts this month: Rebecca Douglass, T. Powell Coltrin @Journaling Woman, Natalie Aguirre, Karen Lynn, and C. Lee McKenzie!
OPTIONAL QUESTION: How do you define success as a writer? Is it holding your book in your hand? Having a short story published? Making a certain amount of income from your writing?
My answer has changed over the years. Originally, it was holding my book in my hand, and being able to say "I am an author of a book." Then, I went through a phase where I thought I really needed/wanted to make a certain amount of income from my writing to say to be successful.
Honestly, I still wish I had more financial success as a writer. How much would be enough? Honestly, enough that I could say I'm making more than the average fast food worker per hour. But, I'm not there yet. I've read articles by writers who find their writing to be successful because they use their writing for other things - so in that sense, my tutoring, teaching, and any "writing" I do for my part-time job as a property manager would be considered making a living from writing. But, I still hope someday to actually make a steady income from the writing itself.
For the most part, my definition of success as a writer really has become this:
I write. I finish things. I write again. I publish some. I have some published by others. I hold onto other pieces. I write and I write. And so on.
Success is in the act of writing.
I've also read some articles who find their writing to be successful because they use their writing for other things - so in that sense, my tutoring, teaching, and any "writing" I do for my part-time job as a property manager would be considered making a living from writing. But, I still hope someday to actually make a steady income from the writing itself.
NEWS FOR IWSG:
The anthology contest is closed. The judges are hard at work.
Next up, we have the IWSG Twitter Pitch event coming on January 26th! For more information, check out our website at the pitch page HERE.
NEWS FOR IWSG AND AUTHOR COMMUNITIES
NEWS FOR ME:
NEXUS IS COMING NEXT MONTH!
I still need help with the book party celebration aka book blog tour. Many thanks to those who signed up to help: Alex J. Cavanaugh, Patricia Josephine, MJ Fifield, Chrys Fey, Jemi Fraser, Shana Dow, and L. Diane Wolfe.
THANK YOU!
If you want to join in on what I hope/plan to be fun, please check out my google form. If you can take a Tuesday, Thursday, or Friday - that would be awesome!
Amaya is supposed to bring peace to the galaxy. Which is tough when she’s being held for crimes against the Neutral Zone. Her imprisonment is on her own ship with her own crew. But close quarters create tension.
Honestly, her role as Rayatana is a mess.
She may never get to use her powers for anything good. Not if her teacher continues to keep secrets, and not if her powers keep harming others. Putting her mother in a coma should put her in prison, but she has a mission. She wants to bring peace to her people. She needs to become the Rayatana.
What readers are saying about LIFTOFF: Rayatana, Book 1
"This is a fast-paced story for teens...Throw in some misunderstandings, space battles, alien races locked in an ancient war, and we have a great escapist mix." -Elle Cardy, YA Fantasy Author
"I love the diversity of the characters, and not just because some are alien. This series has the potential to become a new-classic, space opera series." - Toi Thomas, Author
I enjoyed this lively adventure, a quick read that begins with a movie theater transforming into a spaceship. What a great premise!" - Carol Riggs, YA Speculative Fiction Author
ISBN:
Kindle 978-1-7357695-5-4
More formats forthcoming.
BOOK PARTY HELP!
There are many ways to make money as a writer.
ReplyDeleteI think I signed up for your release. Didn't I? Let me know if I didn't!
Alex - yes, you did. I added your name into my thank you list on there. Thank you, Alex!
ReplyDeleteLOve your new definition of success. And a theater turned space ship? What a creative story.
ReplyDeleteThat's the big dream, isn't it? Paying all the bills with the writing. Meanwhile, Ill keep plugging along with the small goals. Because someday someone's going to discover what a great read my grocery lists are.
ReplyDeleteSo many different ways to make money with writing, directly or indirectly. Congratulations on your upcoming release. I'm not really blogging except for IWSG, but I'd be glad to post some tweets for you when you're ready.
ReplyDeleteThat's why I do speaking events. It pays the bills.
ReplyDeleteTyrean, thank you for the shout-out!!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your upcoming release!!
I write. I finish things. I write again.
ReplyDeleteThat's what it all comes down to, isn't it?
I laughed when you said about making more than the average fast-food worker. Where I live, fast food restaurants are so desperate for help that they are offering 15-20 per hour. I also wished I was making that much.
ReplyDeleteI would love to help you with your book party. Let me know what I can do.
Congrats on your new release. Writing and writing more certainly mean success to me. I'm an under-achiever though. I can't even think about money!
ReplyDeleteI like your definition of success.
ReplyDeleteI know you mentioned I’m already signed up for the tour, but if you need anything else, don’t hesitate to ask. I can share promos on my social media. :)
I really like your definition of success. Mine has changed over the years too. I'm glad to shout out about your book in my follower news. Just email me about it.
ReplyDeleteI like your definition of success, Tyrean! Good luck with Nexus. I can't commit to October 4th as your form asked for, but if you send me the info, I will share your book information on one of my posts in October.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the upcoming release!
ReplyDeleteSuccess has also had a fluid definition for me over the years. There's no "success" of any kind until one successfully sits down and actually writes.
Did you know that Dave Barry, Stephen King, and other writers are/were in a band called Don't Quit Your Day Job? If to be a success means making enough to pay xxx, then most of us don't qualify. We choose our definition of success. To be happy while writing makes sense to me.
ReplyDeleteHappy to help with a shout out for Nexus. Love the cover!
ReplyDeleteINSTEAD OF GETTING A LOAN,, I GOT SOMETHING NEW
ReplyDeleteGet $5,500 USD every day, for six months!
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I love that you said success is in the act of writing itself. It truly is. Like you, my idea of success has changed over the years. I still would love to make more money from it, but I'm lucky to be able to have the time to do what I love to do. I can revel in that fact alone.
ReplyDeleteHi Tyrean,
ReplyDeleteI just want to say I am at the beginning of trying to be successful, i.e. actually writing a book. That is my ultimate goal, but being able to finish a draft and edit it is something remarkable. Publishing is a dream I am striving for, but the last part of your definition of a writer's success is the act of writing itself.
Sometimes we get caught up by the process, the hurdles we face from various facets of our lives--social, financial, occupational etc.--that we do not write. Although, making enough money would be a win, but I want to go out there and say, "After all these years I published something. This is a product of my own hard work."
Thank you for sharing this post,
--Vani
Hi Tyrean - you've highlighted something I expect many writers/early authors don't think about - the spin-offs that writing leads us to or provides ... I do hope the new book launch goes well - some wonderful members here who always help. All the very best - Hilary
ReplyDeleteyay Tyrean!
ReplyDeleteI signed up for your book release
success is a moment to moment thing for me as I don’t think I’ll ever make money at it...
Finish a book = success
Publish a book = success
Sell a book = success
Good review = success!
it’s the little things that keep me going.
Tara Tyler Talks
I signed up for a Tuesday!
ReplyDeleteI can totally see how the measure of success evolves as one evolves as a writer/author.