So I think the phrase "dream goal" is really interesting. To me, goals are things that are in my control to achieve. Dreams, while still wonderful to have, usually require luck or a little fairy dust. So, for now, my goal is to publish the 3 books I'm currently revising/editing/proofing. After that, who knows!
It gave me a lot more confidence and so allowed me to move a lot faster through the writing process without doubt crashing my momentum. Now, I work with Critique Partners a lot sooner and move through the querying process a lot faster. The encouragement of readers has been fantastic motivation to keep me writing.
This is another fantastic question. I've found that success if always a moving target. With my first book, I told me husband if even one reader liked it, then I would write the sequel. That was my bar for literary success. Now, as I get ready to release my next three books, I hope I can read through them, and see how much I've grown as a writer. For me, literary success looks like growth.
Every single one. The good ones are easy to deal with! I do a little dance and usually go around the rest of the day smiling. The bad ones are tougher. Usually, I read it and see if there's any kind of constructive criticism... and then I go back and read one of the positive ones again just to remind myself that no book is for everyone. I'm still outrageously grateful to all readers to take the time to leave me their thoughts.
In the words of Banksy, "If you get tired, learn to rest, not quit." I wrote my first book in 2012 and didn't publish it until 2020. I took many... MANY breaks. And I don't regret it at all. I needed those breaks. They always helped me to come back fresh and passionate about my writing. And though I rested, I never quit. But the good news is that the more you write, the stronger you get, and the less breaks you need!
