Some of the best advice I have received as a writer was to define what success looks like. Most people assume they know what it is, but I’d lay good money if you asked several people you know what they think they need to consider themselves successful, you’d get as many answers as you there were people. Some would just shrug, say everyone knows what success is, or say something like “I’ll know it when I see it.”
Sorry, friends, but that just isn’t the case. Success is an ever shifting goal. Once you hit a milestone on the road to success, the road continues.
One of my writing buddies, Rachel Eliason has sold thousands of books. She has hundreds of people subscribed to her e-mail list, has published over a dozen books with two serials, and knows her niche (LGBTQ fantasy/sci-fi and YA) very well. She seems pretty successful to me. But, she’ll tell you she isn’t satisfied with that. She wants to be able to quit her day job and make a living as a writer.
Joanna Penn has a successful podcast for writers, eight non-fiction books, and twelve novels and novellas. She is making a living from her writing. In fact, she is doing so well, she is actually able to pay her husband to do some of the work. It’s hard to imagine that she wouldn’t consider herself successful. However, she’s recently decided to open her own publishing house.
What does success look like for me? Right now, it would be being able to break even on my books. Self-publishing isn’t cheap as hobbies go if you want to do even a mediocre job at it. But, if I can sell enough books that I can cover my expenses, that would be unbelievable. I have a way to go before I reach that point, but once I do, what will happen?
I already know, because it’s the same as Rachel and Joanna. I’ll spend some time congratulating myself on a job well done, but then realize I want more. I’ll want to increase sales. I’ll want to increase my productivity. I’ll want to make some money. My view of success will change. It’s the natural thing to do.
Does this mean no one will ever be satisfied with where they are? Am I doomed to always want more, more, more? No! That’s the great part. Everyone gets to define what success looks like for them. I don’t want to quit my day job. It’s too much fun! Even if I made a million dollars on my books, I love being an engineer. I’m already a success at that, by my definition. I feel no need to change that at all. Who knows, maybe when my books sell enough to break even, I’ll be completely satisfied and the rest will be gravy.
Take some time to define what success looks like for you. If that isn’t what life looks like now, congratulations! You have a goal to work toward. If you’ve made it, congratulations! Welcome to the world of success.
