Writing Is Not the Lottery

 Once again, I'm struck by how many writers view their art as playing the lottery. If their books doesn't sell X copies or Y dollars, it's an utter failure is their eyes.

Or they complain that they wrote their books by a popular trope and are shocked when it isn't as popular as the other books that adhere to that top-selling trope.

However, they cannot anticipate what the reading public might like. No one can. All the other arts can't either. Really, they can't.

But in some writers' heads, they believe if they write that one book that takes off and sells millions of copies they will be set for life.

That's lottery thinking. That's why I've seen so many people stop writing since I started publishing fiction. They aren't writing and publishing because they love their stories and want to share them with the world. They write hoping to make a quick buck.

And the cycle has started again with the coming of AI. *sigh*

A computer, any computer, even with super sophisticated software can only spit out what has been inputted. Any stores, any paintings, any music is the sausage that comes out after it's been ground up. And artists don't even add spices. It's just blah-tasting meat remains.

And they don't understand why the public isn't lapping up their tasteless, blah meat sludge.

If you want t be a writer, write for yourself first. And I mean really write. Write the story you'd love read. Write what you want to say. Write because it brings you joy.

Let me tell you something. I'm still writing after thirty some years because I have fun. I find joy in a well-crafted story.

And you want to know something? I can keep my high blood pressure and my diabetes under control because I'm having a blast writing these stories.

I'll keep writing stories as long as I'm able because I love doing it. It's the next best thing to cuddly with your loved ones.

The Lottery

I'm seeing a lot of shit from writers lately. On blogs. In article comments. On Facebook. A majority of these folks are angry that their books aren't an instant success.

Or to be more accurate, their book.

That's right. Singular.

I hate to say this, but you can write the greatest piece of literature in the history of the human race. It doesn't mean you'll find an audience the first time around.

Or the second.

Or the third.

Or even the sixtieth.

There are no guaranties in life, much less in the publishing world.

But each time you publish a new story, it increases your odds that someone will notice. Of course, that assumes you released a quality product. As in you have studied and learned the basics of storytelling if it's fiction or clear communication if it's non-fiction. As in you edited your story, or had someone else do it. As in you designed an excellent cover that signifies the interior, or had someone else design it.

But again, you can have the best editing/proofreading in the world and the best cover in the world, and it still doesn't guarantee success.

Putting out a new story is sort of like buying a lottery ticket. Yes, you're playing the odds. But you're playing with the belief in yourself and your talent.

It doesn't matter what your teacher says. It doesn't matter what your mom says. It doesn't matter what other writers say. And I mean both the good things and the bad things.

You need an inherent belief in yourself. Without that, the lottery will fail you no matter how great your talent is.