.jpg?picon=1806)
During the conversation someone I’d briefly met before said something along the lines of “how exciting, I know a successful author.” I quickly responded “hardly successful.” I received a quick nudge in the ribs from my other half and a close friend asked, “well if over 20 published books is not success, what is?”
At the time my reply was, “to make a good living from writing.” This unfortunately (like many jobbing writers) I'm still trying to achieve and top up my income by teaching creative writing.
However this did get me wondering, what is success?
If you’d asked me this question when I first started to write the answer would have been getting a book published. Once I'd achieved this the answer would have become getting a second book published. As the years have passed I would have also included:
- Read a good review of one of my books – tick!
- Receive at least one piece of fan mail – tick!
- To be asked by a publisher to write for them – tick!
- See one of my books translated – tick!
Today my original reponce, to earn a good living from my writing is perhaps at the top of my list. However I also dream of:
- Seeing my book in one of those vending machines at an airport
- Having one of my books turned into
6 Comments on What is Success? - Lynne Garner, last added: 5/7/2011Display Comments Add a Comment
Success for me is either to have letters and articles published regularly with prizes, or having a book published that sells out and goes to a reprint. My success is the former and still wish for the latter.
No, you are right, Lynne. The other way madness lies.
You seem to be successful on almost all your own counts, Lynne! Next time you're called 'a successful author,' smile in a becomingly modest way.
Interesting post.
People are often delighted when they meet a published writer and often they will be delighted to tell their friends they 'know' you - and they really don't want you to take the shine of it for them - so a modest smile is def the best way forward!
I'm not sure who ever feels they are a 'successful' author. It probably depends more on personality than achievements. But Linda is absolutely right - you have to accept the label if it is making the OTHER person happy to use it. It's ungracious not to, even if it makes you squirm.
It's also not good for your public image to go around denying your success - others (including publishers) will take you at your own estimation, remember. If your estimation is low, keep quiet about it!
It's a difficult thing, isn't it? I would say that success - if there can be a general definition - is firstly getting published, and secondly staying published. You seem to have managed both.