Friday, October 29, 2010

The Measure of Success

This past week on the SMFS board I asked the question, "Is anyone having much success selling their short story ebooks?" Not anthologies, but their own personal collections that they've put together and self-published via the electronic highway. All I wanted to know was if there was a readership for this type of publishing. Simple question, right? But no one answered.

One gentleman made mention that no one likes to discuss their success as they don't care to mention how much money they're making. Which made me wonder, is a healthy bank account the only way that people measure their success?

I've seen people do BSP posts when they're published online, but they're totally ignored. But let a writer mention that they're published in EQ or AHMM and everyone goes ballistic with their congrats. Which made me wonder, is the top-drawer market the second measure of success for a writer?

The Back Alley just published a new issue and every author bio included an award nomination or win. I've found the same type of bio attached to nearly every story in EQ and AHMM. And again I wonder, do writers only consider themselves a success if they've won an award?

I may be an antiquated fuddy-duddy, but I measure my success as a writer by the number of people who actually read my work. I have a story over at Sniplits and a total of 8 people have laid down their money to read that story. Yes, it's a good market, but if no one is reading, what's the point? A few bucks in my pocket and a chance at an Edgar award? Even the publisher isn't making any money with that story. Now, I have a story up over at A Twist of Noir that has been read by close to a hundred people - still not Stephen King or Michael Connelly numbers but hey, the story has an audience. For me that's success.

The point of writing a story is to have it read. And while the money isn't there, the online community is great at supporting writers. I've watched so many writers just keeping at it, getting published, being encouraged, and getting better and better. If someone drops off the grid for a while, it isn't long before someone is checking in to find out if they're okay, and asking how the writing is going and before long, they're back at it.

To me, that's the success story. People hanging together, supporting one another, and cheering every writer's success as if it were their own.

So let me toss this question out into the ether. How do you measure your success as a writer? Is it that publishing contract tucked safely in your pocket, the jingle of cash in your pocket, and an award on your mantel? Yes, those are the dreams that fill every writer's head, including mine, but if you never achieve that mountain top will you still consider yourself a success?

13 comments:

David Cranmer said...

I have given away more copies of ROUND 1 then have been bought. But I spin that beautiful bound book around and around in my hands and feel a great sense of accomplishment. Success.

Clair D. said...

I think being successful is, in part, going to be defined by what you decide it is personally. For many writers, cracking those exclusive markets of AHMM or EQMM means they have "made it." As much as I would love to crack such a hard to get into market, I realize my limitations and for me sufficient success is, like you, being read and enjoyed, even if only by a few enthusiastic fans. BUT some people are uncomfortable trumpeting their own "lower" measures of success-- especially on a list like SMFS (on which some opinions are loudly held regarding "acceptable" marks of success.)

AS for single-author short story collections, they are a hard sell by anyone but top authors (Stephen King, for example), from what I've gathered from agent blogs. I had an agent turn down a collection of Bo shorts citing the hard sell to publishers and readers.

sandra seamans said...

Being able to hold something you're a part of in your hands is an amazing feeling, David! And a huge success.

I'm with you, Clair, I'd love to crack those markets, too. Michael Bracken put that dream in perspective for me once, he said it took him 20 years to crack that market and then he did it with a co-writer. So, while it's something to aim for, I don't weep and moan because I haven't "made it".

I got the same thing from an agent about the shorts. He couldn't seem to understand that I write shorts, not novels. I know my limitations, but writing a novel is one of the last things left to check off on my writing goals list, so maybe.

Chris Rhatigan said...

I measure success like you do Sandra--readers. Like David, I also want to do work I can be proud of.

Getting a nice note about something I've written from an editor or writer I respect (or, hell, anyone who isn't related to me) is also a huge boost.

sandra seamans said...

I love notes, Chris! I have saved emails from readers, writers, and friends that I go back and read when I get discouraged. They're much more fun than saving rejection slips!

G. B. Miller said...

I measure success in very small steps.

For the moment, my success is measured in the one story I've had published (so far, but I'm bit strange when it comes to submissions), and even if I never get anything commercially published again, I can take comfort in the knowledge that someone liked what I wrote enough to take a chance on.

Sometimes success can't be measured by how many stories or books you have published. Sometimes success is measured simply by how many people you can make go "Wow, that was really interesting." with an item that you posted on a blog.

Making people think about something you wrote, no matter where it was put, is success at its purest form.

Anita Page said...

When I pick up a story a year after I've written it --whether or not the story's been published--and I have that physical sensation that tells me the story works, I feel successful.

pattinase (abbott) said...

I think a lot of it depends on your age. I long ago gave up the idea of making money at writing. I don't think I ever even thought of it to begin with. But if I was Clair's age, it would be consideration. As it is for my daughter, who would dearly love not to work all day at one job and all night and weekends on another. She has not had a vacation in six years. In this economy and at this time of declining readership, that is the price you pay.

sandra seamans said...

That is so true for every writer, G! I believe that the need to connect with the reader even, if there's only one, is what drives us. And baby steps are how we learn - one tiny movement at a time.

That's a great sensation, isn't it, Anita? So much better than the feeling that you need to tear the story apart and start all over again. :)

Yes, Patti, age does seem to have a lot to do with it. For me, I started late and it took a long time to realize that writing wasn't just sitting down and typing a story. I admire these kids (to me they are anyway, even though they're in their thirties and fourties) I've met online who are working so hard at their craft. It's fun to watch them succeed and improve and keep reaching for the stars. I know for me, I've found the niche I'm most comfortable in, but I'll keep working because, hey, that's what a writer does.

MontiLee Stormer said...

I'm well-known in my circle of friends, but there aren't enough of them to buy my work and let me do this at least 60% of the time. If I had to go part-time at my day job (a job that I do enjoy) so I could continue to write, that to me would be a success.

I get approached for comissioned pieces in anthologies - that's a success (small, but significant). I get e-mails from peopl e who like my stories and look forward to more - that's a success.

I will tell you straight off - I've been writing for free for *cringe* 20 years (token payments, no payments, no copies, out-right rejections), and now I'd like to make a little money from it. I don't think it's so bad to want to be paid for something s/he does well.

So I'll come out and say it - I'll consider myself a success when I'm paid for my writing as well as I'm paid for my day job.

sandra seamans said...

After twenty years, I'd say that would be a great measure of your success, MontiLee.

MontiLee Stormer said...

Does it make me sound less ancient if I say I started writing when I was 18?

sandra seamans said...

I've been at off and on for about 40 years, MontiLee, but only seriously for the last 5 or so. Does that make you feel less ancient?