Forget #NaNoWriMo22 – I’m spending November learning how to be more Tortoise!
Patience has never been my virtue. I have always wanted results instantly. I blame my years in sales. Every month, regardless of industry, I was set a financial goal that I had to achieve to keep my job – and I would say 99% of the time I overachieved. I love a target / goal. And I love being the first over the line.
When I started my full time author journey just over 3 years ago, I was (and still am) determined to hit the Number 1 spot on Amazon. With each book I’ve come close but fallen at the last hurdle. And I wondered why?
I had no audience.
No one knew who the heck I was.
I had no email list.
I didn’t network with readers.
My sales were OK, but they could have been better. One thing I’ve realised, and it was a massive revelation for me – I don’t have it have it all NOW.
Say What?!!
This isn’t just some ‘job’.
No one is going to take my books from me and say well done, close but no cigar.
This is the rest of my life.
I can slow down. I don’t have to have overnight success, multiple plaudits, or awards for validation. I can build my back catalogue without the self-imposed pressure.
And, even more importantly, by easing up and taking it slow I can enjoy the process more. I can take joy in each day that I’m sat in my Shed of Words, be grateful for the time and space to be creative. I can look after my mental and physical health knowing that I will always have a writing project on the go that sometimes isn’t a book, it could be a reflection on life, a journal entry I want to take my time over, a magazine article, a book review. Whatever it is, it can be written simply for the satisfaction of writing.
Having said that, my third book is due out in March ’23, and I’m hopeful 😀
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