(Don't you LOVE the pic I created on faceinhole.com?) :))))
When I'm frustrated or annoyed with writing I repeat this mantra to myself: Be Ben Affleck.
I've been in lurve with Ben Affleck for most of my adult life. He's tall, dark, and handsome. He's married to a gorgeous, down-to-earth woman, and he appears to be a great dad. But beyond that, he's an artist who didn't give up.
Early in his career, he won the Oscar for Good Will Hunting. Everyone wanted a piece of him - including Jennifer Lopez, which lead to the disastrous Gigli. That movie and relationship was like a pair of concrete shoes. Ben tanked and we didn't hear much from him, except for the occasional political statement.
He moved on with his life, but he never left the industry. He worked quietly behind the camera, producing some pretty great films. Then came Argo. The little film that couldn't.
It did.
And even though the academy (FOOLS!) ignored him in 2012, he was handsomely rewarded with pretty much every other directing award out there.
What does this have to do with me & writing?
Everything.
We, as writers, cannot expect every project, every book, to be a hit. It's unrealistic. I wouldn't call The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling a hit. I have yet to meet one person who enjoyed it. Does that diminish the success of the Harry Potter series? Of course not. But, it's more proof that we're all human. We all err. Our stories sometimes struggle to find an audience.
It's okay.
I think that's the part people forget. It's totally fine to fail once in a while. It's not the end of the world if your sales tank. There is still another project. A novel you haven't even thought of yet could be your next big hit.
My point? If you love writing, don't give it up because you're going through a tough patch. We all have those moments. Last year, my sales were soaring. I was on top of the world. This year sales have slowed. I've found myself getting really depressed about it - but then I remind myself, Be Ben Affleck. I smile. I start typing. I remember why I started writing in the first place: love of the written word.
