Happy Monday to you all. I hope you found peace and relaxation from this past weekend. Let’s hit the ground running (cliché, Lizzy) and see what kind of trouble we can stir up.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
Calvin Coolidge
My apologies for quoting Coolidge. LOL But in this case, I happen to agree with Silent Cal.
THOUGHT OF THE DAY
I am an observer of people. Over the past three years of my writing journey, I have been in touch with many writers. Something I have noticed is how easily some writers are discouraged by lack of results. Many who write on writer’s sites like HubPages see their low viewership and decide to quit writing because of what they see as a lack of success.
Others who self-publish books, only to find that nobody bought them, throw in the towel and never publish again.
Writing is a long-term gig. Instant success is almost non-existent in this business. You have to build your platform on brick at a time, or in this case, one article, one short story, and one novel at a time. You have to establish your credentials and pay your dues before real success will visit you.
Do not give up!
TIP OF THE DAY
If your self-published novel doesn’t sell, then enter it in a novel-writing contest.
If your article does poorly on HubPages or Bubblews, then submit it to magazines and enter contests with it.
And if your writing skills are lacking, then take the necessary steps to improve them.
Just because something you have written is not immediately recognized as good writing does not mean that it is poorly written. There is more than one way to….wait for it, Lizzy….skin a cat! For those of you not named Lizzy, I used that cliché on purpose.
PROMPT OF THE DAY
Give it a try. Write a paragraph describing this scene. Maybe you’ll find an article buried in the picture.
ARTICLE OF THE DAY
Take a moment from your busy day and read this article by my dear friend Lizzy. This is writing at its most powerful, digging up painful memories and demanding that the reader feel the same pain. I applaud my dear friend for having the courage to write this, and I highly recommend it to all of you as an example of a writer willing to risk it all to connect with her readers.
The article is called “The Day I Killed My Mother.”
I might add that Lizzy originally posted this on HubPages and has since entered it in a writing contest….good luck, Lizzy, and thanks for proving my point.
MORE LATER THIS WEEK
Thank you to all of you who have purchased my book, Resurrecting Tobias. It is now available as a paperback on Amazon. I ask that you leave a review if you do purchase it. Thank you
again.
Bill
“Helping writers to spread their wings and fly.”
Billybuc
Artistry With Words 
I love your advice and you are right that we just have to keep writing no matter what. Happy Monday once again, Bill!! 🙂
Just saying hello Bill, all good stuff.
Graham.
Hey, Graham, it’s always nice to hear from you. I hope all is well with you my friend.
Thank you Janine. You are always a pleasant visitor. 🙂
I see that, too, on HubPages. I am also seeing that type of attitude in real life with others. Makes me feel like I need to keep going so I don’t end up like that!
Thanks, Mari. We need to concentrate on being better writers, and worry less about HP or views.
I couidn’t agree more, Bill. First and foremost, we must write for ourselves. If we’re writing for commercial success – well – that’s not much of a platform now is it?
ALL the luck in the world with Resurrecting Tobias!
Thanks, Sis! Carry on my friend and I’ll meet you at the top.
Thank you, Billy! You know, you should cut back on the clichés. I read somewhere that it’s poor writing practice. 😀
The beauty, Lizzy, of having my own blog, is I can do whatever I want, including breaking self-imposed rules. 🙂
I just read the story written by Liz. She is a wonderful writer. Thank’s for all you do.
Thank you for reading that story, Ruby. She is a wonderful writer and a quality human being.
Bill, just a heads up that your site still doesn’t have an option to receive notification of follow-up comments.The post notification seems to have been rectified (requires signing up again), but there’s no option for the comments.
Thanks Sha.
Hi Bill, I agree completely. Keep improving the craft and keep exposing the baby to the world eventually we either succeed or we quit. If we don’t quit we are bound to succeed.
I love it, Donna. There are definitely the two possible outcomes. Over time we really find out who really wants it.
I also feel that reading such inspiring posts makes one keep going 🙂
From one writer to another…let’s keep writing to keep our boats ashore and reach our respective destinations.
I’m all for that, Ruchira. I’ll see you on that far shore my friend. Thank you.
Don’t you think all of the disappointment has a lot to do with wanting instant success? I am always amazed at that actually–success is so much a matter of the process over the long haul
Audrey, I think it has almost everything to do with wanting instant success…that and unrealistic expectations. 🙂 Thank you, friend.
My father would agree with you. He always mentioned knowing artists who had never completed a painting, sculptors with no statues to their names, authors with no articles.
I think it’s especially important for today’s writers to remember that– the world is so full of books on how to improve your website, to get more publicity etc, that it can be easy to forget that it doesn’t matter how much publicity you have– if you have no product to sell.
Charles, I love what your father had to say, and of course, I agree completely with him. Thank you!
Dad helped me a lot with my writing– but then he first introduced me to both Sci-fi and history when I just hit 3rd grade, so I shouldn’t be surprised. It’s interesting what you remember learning from your parents as you get older.
Reblogged this on Charles Gray's blog of writing and commented:
Some very wise thoughts from a fellow writer. Remember, without persistence there can be no success.
Thank you for reblogging this, Charles.
Charles, it sounds like you had a very helpful dad…and yes, that early learning is so important in how we develop. Thanks for your thoughts.