"Making It"

For the last few days I've been talking about my excitement concerning the imminent self-publication of a novel I wrote in November.  From the way I've been talking, it might almost seem as if I believe that I have "made it" as a writer.

So I guess I want to talk about that today.  For one thing, the review was finished this morning, but I'm not satisfied with how the formatting turned out, so I've spent the majority of my morning re-formatting the manuscript to fix the issues I found in my digital proof.  Then, when I get my second review back positive, I'm gonna need to front a bit of cash for a physical proof to make sure the book can be read as it is.  So there's still some time before I can even have my five free copies for friends and family.

Even then I haven't "made it," because it's only one book I'm publishing myself, and the sales will be based on word of mouth more than anything else.  I can't expect to make a living like this, and I suppose that's one metric I'd consider for "making it" as a writer.  I want to live off of my writing.

I don't expect to start off my professional life with a bang.  Not in the slightest.  I'm looking for a starter job and I'm planning on going for my Master's in about a year.  I have connections to build.  So I'm not anywhere, really.

At the same time, this is the closest I've been to having my writing really out there for more than just close friends and family.  I'm still really excited, but I know it doesn't mean that much.

Even if I get to the point where I'm working a writing job, and getting books published, and have a following, I think I still won't have made it.  I don't ever want to get complacent.  I want to push upwards and onwards until my mind can't put word and word together.

This is just a beginning.