To me, literary success is all about the readers. My goal is to connect with as many readers as I can. To let them know that I'm here, what I write, and to be blessed enough to have them try me out. If readers don't know who you are, and aren't familiar with your books than as a published author, I'm not a success because, at that point, I'm writing just for me.
My dream goal is to hit one of the major literary lists like USA Today, or the New York Times, or have one of my books made into a movie on Hallmark, Netflix, Amazon Prime...I'm not picky, any of them would work for me!
They say write what you know, or what someone else knows. There's a little bit of me, or someone I know in just about every character. Also the locations I've written in my book are usually based on somewhere I've traveled, or would love to go.
Yes, I do. I think it's important to keep a pulse on what readers think about what you write.
What I have learned over the years is to not let negative reviews affect me as much as I did when I first got published.
I remember receiving an especially harsh review for adding Spanish to my novel, Love Contract (Book One in the Match Broker Series), the reader said that if she knew Spanish was in the book she wouldn't have read it and that it was horrible. My main character was bi-racial and bi-lingual so it was an important aspect of the story. A reader friend of mine told me that my books weren't for everyone. And that they would touch those that they were meant for, and wash over those that it wasn't for like leaves blowing in the wind. After that, I didn't let negative reviews run rampant over my heart. I acknowledged them, and moved on.
My advice for aspiring writers is that writing is a lonely, solitary occupation. For most of us. The hardest part of the journey isn't writing the novel. It's getting out there marketing it and connecting with readers. Evaluate why you do what you do. Is it to be famous? Rich? Well known? Or is it that there is a story burning deep within you that has to be told no matter what?
Be clear on why you want to be a published author and set your expectations. For every overnight success, there are thousands of writers that aren't. Also, get your work professionally edited by a literary editor. You can reduce the stress of negative critiques of your beloved novel if it's engaging, and the best version of your story that it can be. Always put your best foot forward. This is your story. You are in the driver's seat. That being said, if you're working with traditional publishing houses, there may be suggestions to change things about the book to make it the most marketable. The characters, location, the book cover, the name...why your first thought may be to just say no, and not compromise, keep in mind that the people that you're working with have a job to do. To make your book the best it can be, and to ensure it sells. Be open to what they have to say, and don't take it personally. They are there to help YOU be the best author you can be and to make your book the best it can be. Be open to suggestions, but if there is something you're just not willing to budge on voice it and provide supporting evidence on why you feel that way.
