An Audience of One

I wrote the book for an Audience of One.
Me.

That's how it's got to be. And, that's the best advice I can give to anyone who is writing. Write for your own enjoyment and tell the story that you've been given to tell.

Then, if you desire, invite the world to join in through publishing.

When you take that approach to writing, it's very liberating.

• You don't worry about what other people will think.
• You don't worry about sales or circulation, or royalties or profits.

Don't get me wrong. I love to hear good, honest feedback from what I've written. Feedback makes me want to write more. And, yes, I'd like to sell as many books as possible. But, those can't be considerations when you are writing. Those are considerations that come with publishing. When you write, you have to write for yourself, and pretend that no one will ever read this book but you. When you do that you can write authentically and have all kinds of fun with the writing process. If you ever allow your writing to be manipulated by marketing, well, you probably won't turn out a very good and authentic product. Trust me - I'm a marketer, too. I know of what I speak.

I had these stories. I wanted to tell them. I wanted to fulfill a promise to my daddy.

I wrote the book. Then, I found a publisher, who helped me with the editing and marketing.

I like the book. Parts of it still make me laugh and make me cry. It really does take me back to my childhood. Vicki says it's helped her, even after 30  years, to understand why I am the way I am.

I hope people will want to read it.

I hope people who read it are blessed by it.

I hope people will share it with the ones they love.

What story do you have to tell?

Write it down. 

Don't worry about grammar and punctuation. You can pay someone to fix that for you.

Just get the story on paper.

Do it for yourself.

Then, you can make a decision whether to publish it or not.

And, if you are having writer's block, let me tell you how to get over it.

Read.

The more you read - the more the writer in you will be stirred.

Until next time - SDV