Loose Change

Success is a nebulous concept

Success is a nebulous concept, particularly for an author. I won't hide the fact that I don't feel very successful. I've never managed to get an agent. Never got an advance. As a rough guess, I've made about $5000 in my writing career since 2009.  On the other hand, I have a shelf with eight books I've gotten paid for, most for a story or a few chapters, but also including my one novel published by a small press. I have a chapbook and two magazines with my stories, one with my name on the cover. I know (many) authors who would love to have even some of that success, to be a 'published author'. I know others who have had fat advances or won national awards or had a dozen books published by major publishers. Most of them still struggle to feel successful.

I have no grand message here. I'm a writer, so we write, even when it is rambling on about stuff. But if you are an writer, published or trying or not even daring to try, I see you. Write on!