So true! What works for some doesn’t always for another, especially when it comes to writing in specific genres. 🙂

That does about sum it up, and these days, having a publisher doesn’t necessarily relieve the marketing burden either.

Yes, Allie P., that is excellent advice. We are each unique, and reach our goals by different means. I do admire people who seem to get there by accident, by being in the right place at the right time, or by living on their wits!

Thank you, Robbie!

dgkaye, your comment makes me think of something one of the speakers said at a writers conference I went to this weekend. A panel of speakers at the end of the conference offered their hot tips, and one, a Harper Collins author, used the example of David and Goliath; small and unprotected, David was about to pit himself against the giant when he was offered a huge suit of armour. He said, “Thanks, but no thanks – I’m actually quite happy with a sling.” And he still ended up killing the giant. We all have to be more sensitive to the fact that different people have different paths to follow and different ways of reaching the goal.

I agree with this – have just been to a writing conference with some great speakers including Jane Johnson and Joanne Harris. I certainly think that in the case of Jane Johnson and Joanne Harris, they were in the right place at the right time. For Jane (whose fascinating personal story you can read online) this combined with luck, getting the right experience accidentally, and living on her wits. Joanne Harris describes writing as “all magic and voodoo”, and she talked about how do you let the magic flow. This all seems a different world from the hard work of marketing which traditionally was in the province of the publisher. The irony of all this was summed up by Joanne herself who said later, “Most authors can only do one thig at a time.” On sales, promotion and marketing she said, “It’s far easier to leave all that to the publisher”. Never a true word spoken!

Working on it, but it’s difficult, as I’m still kicking myself!

oh god, did you make back the word count?

Absolutely 😍💖😍💖