Not Getting Discouraged

Sometimes we hit that point in our writing careers where we realize that most of the goals we set don't seem anywhere close to being met. Maybe we aren't selling as many book as we planned, or maybe we don't have as many reviews as we wanted. It's easy to get discouraged when we put a ton of effort into something and nobody seems to appreciate it. 

 

So how do we stay sane during this time of discouragement?

1. Remember why you started writing in the first place. Odds are you probably started writing because you are in love with the craft. You stuck through all of the writer's block, you paid for all of the editing, you spent all that time on critique sites, you developed your characters. By now, you probably know everything about your worlds. Writing is a labor of love, if you didn't love it, you would have never finished your book in the first place.

2. It's not all about the money. Sure, it'd be nice to get a paycheck every once in a while for our novels. Sure, it'd be nice to make a living on something we love doing––and who says we won't . . . at some point. I realized that writing was my passion when I decided that no matter what I made off of it, I would always continue to write.

3. Enjoy your accomplishment for yourself. Whether or not other people buy your books, you can rest in knowing that you took your passion and you did something with it. You finished a novel! Not many people can say that, so revel in it and take some time to enjoy your hard work. You've earned it!

 

All famous authors started out like you and I, so give yourself some time and keep doing what you love!