As a writer, there are days when it's a wonderful job. There are also days when it really sucks. The sucky days for me are those when I wonder why I bother writing -- the days when I look at what I've written, measure my own success (or lack of) and wonder why I keep trying.
Those are the days when I think about alternative careers and wish I had a different set of skills.
On the good days, I am thrilled by the turn of a well-crafted phrase or an idea that takes root and blossoms into a complete story.
I enjoy the times when I write something and feel great satisfaction with it. I love the days when I am in love with stories or characters I create and I am anxious to write and discover what is happening next with the characters and the story.
I try to hold on to those good feelings when the sucky days hit. Yes, I've been having a few sucky days lately. I've had several days as of late in which I consider throwing in the towel. As an indie fiction writer, it is easy to become discouraged. There is a lot of work in being a writer and honestly, the easy part is really the writing.
As an indie fiction writer, I am responsible for everything -- creation, promotion, holding people down and forcing them to buy my books and read them...and it's not all that easy.
Promotion is not my strong point, I'll admit. I don't like blowing my own horn and trying to sell my own work. I feel like posting links over and over on Twitter and Facebook is like telemarketing -- I'm hitting my friends over the heads with "Buy my books! Look at me, I'm a writer! Go buy!" and it's hard for me.
Some people are great at promotion and don't have the same hangups I have. Unfortunately, I am not good at selling myself.
So today I will call it a non-sucky day as I have work to do and am hopeful that I will get it all done...or at least maybe most of it...some of it?
Hope your Monday is awesome and keep reading -- my books or someone else's!
Tammy
I feel exactly like this most of the time. Bouncing around emotionally and wondering why I bother. Then, even on a bad day, at some point, I remember I do it because I LOVE it. It's how I express, create and celebrate. I have to figure out one day how to sell myself. That part scares the crap out of me and makes me feel bad sometimes. I question and second guess myself when I shouldn't. You're not alone in feeling like that, so hang in there. We'll figure it out. :-)
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