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6 Stone Cold Publishing Facts
A Blog by Julie Butcher-Fedynich

You might have noticed that everyone you know is a writer. They all have ideas for the next great story. Some actually start their book, but most give up before they finish. For every first manuscript completed, there are enough people who didn’t finish to fill a professional football stadium. Think about it. Ten thousand screaming fans inside and only you and your finished book, out in the parking lot, cooking your ball park frank on a mini-grill. So, you are made of awesome.

Even though you now sweat sparkles and poop little heart shapes, evil thoughts creep around inside your brain like spiders. Your hair keeps making a capital L on your forehead for LOSER—because you are not published. We measure our success by the almighty dollar and not by the effort we’ve put into learning craft. This is a piss-poor way of looking at things because you are worth much more than little green pieces of paper.

Fact One: If you wait for validation to come in the form of contracts, awards, and reviews, you are doomed to fail. There will always be someone with a larger contract or who has more book sales or who has more fans lined up at a signing. Someone will always be ahead of you. The thing to remember is that you are ahead of that entire stadium of screaming fans. At least one out of that bunch of ten thousand wants to come out to the parking lot and barbecue with you—because you are awesome, and unicorns follow you about, and they think you’re way cool.
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