How do you judge success??
I left a well-paid job as a Headteacher early to pursue my passion for writing. I have spent the past fifteen years rewriting and writing. I now have around a hundred and twenty books that I have written. I am completely free to write what I like.
I was fortunate enough to gain contracts with a publisher – Sonicbond. One contract led to another and I now have 8 books on my most cherished rock musician singer songwriters published with them. Is that success?
I have written at least a dozen Sci-fi novels that I am very pleased with even though I cannot land a publisher for them. I have self-published them with mixed sales. Is that success?
My other books include education, art, beat poetry, novels, biography, travel, antitheism and rock music – anything that turns me on. I self-publish them. Is that success?
For fifteen years I have been enjoying writing and have produced two whole shelves of my books. Is that success?
I have accrued many excellent reviews (and the odd bad one). Is that success?
While my books do sell in modest numbers I have never had a real flier and all the money I have made probably only covers the costs. Taking the cost of computer, laptop and WordPress, plus consumables, into account I probably break even.
If I had stayed on at my career for the five or six years possible I could have left with a lot more money. Would that have been success?
Now, there is no denying that it would be wonderful to sell vast numbers of books, gain lucrative contracts and awards and have huge numbers of glowing reviews and a massive financial reward, but that would only be the icing on the cake.
Success for me is all about doing what I have enjoyed doing, holding the products of my efforts in my hand and reading that some people have found them worthwhile. I really value those reviews and that people find my books worth buying. Thank you. That feels like success for me.