When Do You Call It "Success?"

So you have a book in print. You have a book available for the Kindle or Nook or maybe both. First off, congradulations to you and too me. What a great accomplishment. I, in fact have 4 novels in print , a short story and 2 more novels about to be published. I threw in a CD of 13 songs written and performed by me and put it out there. Does all of this make me a success? I guess it depends on the individual writers feelings and what they consider to be "success."
Though I do think of what I have done as wonderful and accomplished, I have not reached that "success" feeling yet. I think that it takes more than a book with your name on it to call it success. I think there has to be recognition. People telling one another about you or your book or CD adds to the success image. Sales are also a factor. We have all said somewhere in our writing that it was Not about sales. For some, that may be true. I say Kudo's to those that are there. You have a published novel and you have found the success you are looking for. But for me, though I have said those same words, writing is more than just the passion and joy of my life. It is also the way I have made my living for many years. Zero sales pay zero bills. It really is as simple as that.
That all said, the question remains... How do you increase your sales? What avenues do you use to make your novels successful? There are so many talented authors in here. I want to soak in some of that knowledge. Absorb the know how of authors that have found success at the level I am looking for. I am watching and learning and daily I add to my "how to sell", "how to reach more readers" library. The learning never stops. What do you think!?!?

I wish I knew. Success as a writer is difficult for me.

I accomplished goals I set for myself many years ago; therefore, I am successful in meeting those goals. I have developed new ones in the process; the success there is yet to be measured.

Success is when your reader responses let you know that you have made a difference.

Ann

I think that we all want to feel that success. I think that we write for many reasons, one certainly being to be able to look back and see where we have been and where we are now. Alice, I think that to me, writing is for certain the easiest part of being a writer. Your heart and your mind flow as one and we create novels or short stories or even poems. Getting them published and seeing sales that are as big as we dream they may be is the part that causes many writers to "keep their day job" as it is said.
For those of us that have the passion and the ability to continue, we write and wait and hope for that JK Rowlings, OMG happening. Thank you for responding. I know there are many others with thoughts and perhaps just the right avenue to make sales rise. Darrel

Words to perhaps set into place as one waits to see if they have in deed impacted on a life. To know that my novel sits on a night stand, waiting for it's reader to settle in for the night is an intoxicating image for me. Thank you for your words, ALJ.

alj wrote:

Success is when your reader responses let you know that you have made a difference.

Ann

By that measure I have achieved success. Thanks ALJ!

My lovely church friends have purchased many books (I contributed all profit to the church for providing me such a lovely audience). Hardly a Sunday or other church activity goes by that a sweet person doesn't tell me how much they enjoyed my book and that they passed it along to a friend to read. Last Sunday she said it went to a shut in so that the experience of the Everglades could be real to her even though stuck in her room. Another person who grows orchids was also pleased and went out of her way to tell me so. "Thank you for writing your book" is the sweetest success. Thank you for reminding me.

Thank you all for allowing me to view another perspective on writing. Not a new one I must say because it was one that I carried when I began writing nearly 40 years ago. Though it is what pays bills, it is also what allows me to share of myself and is still today, the most effective therapy for the tired and sometimes lost soul. I continue to seek ways to broaden my sales but tonight, I do it with the spring in my walk and the enjoyment in my heart that has been my passion since I was a kid. Thank you...

Sales and profit are important,too, especially when you need the bills paid :-)

Success:

• When the guy next to you on an airplane is reading one of your books.
  
• When the guy in front of you in line at a bookstore is buying one of your books.
  
• When an amazon used book dealer is selling one of your books for $.01.
  
• When you get a quarterly royalty check for one book that is larger than any annual salary you ever earned.
  
• When a guy in prison two counties away sends you a fan letter.
  

Each of those success stories happened to me once. The last one was kind of scary.

But I think the measure of a successful life doesn't happen until you die. If you never missed a meal, if you never had to sleep on a park bench in the rain, if you never wanted for sufficient heat to be comfortable, it can be said that you had a successful life.

I won't pass the test.

i am still looking for several of those "If's." Thank you all again for your words here. http://darrel-day.blogspot.com www.thingsiknowabout.blogspot.com

Napoleon Hill defined success as: "The progressive realization of a worthy ideal."

I think if we achieve what we set out to achieve, we are successful. Since our goals are personal, we should not judge our success by the standards of others, or what others have achieved.

If you are trying to find a success definition specifically for a writer, even that is personal and cannot be measured by what someone else has done.

well written in all aspects. Still, my search does go on to find more audience for my novels. Thank you for taking the time to write.

Your goal doesn't seem to be to become a successful writer; you want to be a successful marketer. Too different disciplines requiring two different skill-sets.

To me success is when I can look at my life and feel satisfied, happy, and loved.

I am satisfied because I am doing exactly what I love for a living.
I am satisfied because I am published (four novels - in hardcover, paperback, kindle, and nook, three WIP, many newspaper and magazine stories) and all my reviews from my readers are wonderful.

I am happy because I am healthy and thankful for what life has given me. I feel truly fortunate.

I am loved. My family despite cultural, racial, political, and religious differences is loving, close, caring, and supportive.

My life is a success.

Success to me has nothing to do with fame and fortune. You can be born into that. How is that successful?

Success is being true to who you are and finding meaning and happiness in your life.

Very well put!

JoElle,
I think you have the formula well in hand. You are a success!

JoElle--you forgot to add: you have me for a friend. GRIN.

Seriously (as if I could pull that one off), I've found success is much like happiness. The more you chase it, the more it alludes you. When you plug along, doing what you love for the right reasons, it will find you.

madhatter wrote:

JoElle--you forgot to add: you have me for a friend. GRIN.

Seriously (as if I could pull that one off), I've found success is much like happiness. The more you chase it, the more it alludes you. When you plug along, doing what you love for the right reasons, it will find you.

madhatter wrote:

JoElle--you forgot to add: you have me for a friend. GRIN.

Seriously (as if I could pull that one off), I've found success is much like happiness. The more you chase it, the more it alludes you. When you plug along, doing what you love for the right reasons, it will find you.

Maddy, you are the cherry on top!

True friends are life's treasures and worth more than money and fame.

My writing is my passion. It is what I do for many reasons. Your words however ring truth in that for me to truly feel the totality of success, I am seeking as much knowledge as I can gather concerning marketing my novels. It is out there and I am finding it and learning, piece by piece. Thank you for the insightfulness.

I read the responses here and I smile. Perhaps there are in fact as JoElle and madhatter have said. Maybe it is like so many of you have written here. And maybe, it is what the perfect religion is to me. A little mix of everyones thoughts, taken, shaken and molded into a recipe that everyone can reach in and find something for themselves.
I take in each and every word that is written here, shake it gently and watch as what success really is becomes a reality. No one person can nor ever will have all the answers or the Only answer. That is why there are so many doctrines and so many styles of writing.
Thank you again for all of your input.
As an added question... Am I asking for friends to add correctly? I would truly like to see you accept my invitation to be friends here. Thank you, Darrel

I like the way you summarize the benefit of diverse opinions. Welcome to a foreign of diverse opinions. Your fresh approach is greatly appreciated.

I ditto what DK said.