What motivates you? What's in it for you? The Fame? The Fortune? The Celebrity Status? We all have a price... We all do things for a reason. What's your reason?
I'm embarking on this journey for several reasons. One of them is financial. I'm in it for the money and I'm not embarassed to admit it. I grew up in a poor family. I've watched my mom bust her ass for almost 25 years and just as she was about to retire with a pension, a young 20 something CEO comes in and lets her go... with only months left. It still makes me sick to this day. She taught me that hard work is the key... to never give up.
I'm tired of worrying about money. I'm also tired of struggling. For the last three years I was not living, I was "surviving" -- barely making enough money to eat or keep the roof over our heads. What drove me crazy is that I'm a man of many talents and skills and yet none of them were bringing in the income needed. Talk about frustrating. (It's like being a super hero but unable to use your super powers.) Something like that.
Well, in the last few years, the game has changed in the writing world. People don't need the big 6 publishers to write a book anymore. Also, Digital E-Readers are starting to come into play. More and more people are starting to buy E-Books and while there are more and more people submitting books, the field hasn't changed.
Yes, newbies and people who publish crap are saturating the market (if not now, they will in the next 5 to 10 years) but the desire for quality - the need for good quality writers will still be there. For example... look how the internet has leveled the playing field for musicians. Now, any band playing out of their mom's garage can upload an mp3 and make a youtube video... but have they stopped or hurt the professional musicians? Not at all.
Because everyone has an audience.
If I write a book about a psychopath knife slashing bunny rabbit that is terrorfied of traffic lights... guess what? Someone, somewhere is going to like it. Actually a group of people will probably like it. (Why - that's left for another debate) but the point being... someone is going to like your work.
And someone else is going to hate it. Even if your slasher bunny was made of pure gold and written so well that your librarian uses it as mommy porn - there's still going to be haters. Haters gonna hate. I hate to say that but its true. So ignore them, unless they have something constructive to say like
"This E-Book sucks because instead of being afraid of traffic lights, he should be afraid of carrots! Then we'd have a best seller!" Do you know what mr. grumpy pants? I think you might be onto something!
However that's not very realistic because rarely haters have anything constructive to say. They hate because it makes them feel superior over others. However, there are exceptions and sometimes it takes an outside observer to help point something out to us. Now, going back to the point of this blog... what motivates you? What ever it is, you need to reach deep down inside and channel it... pull it out and eat, sleep and breathe it. You need to surround yourself with it and obsess over it. It needs to be within your vision, your ears or in your thoughts at least several times a day.
Why? Because we live in a very distracting world. There are so many distractions that pull our attention away... Facebook, Work, Home, Money problems, Driving, Children, Animals, Friends... Pick one or add your own. Now... find some time away from these (if possible) and write. Write, Write, Write. Doesn't matter if your spelling sucks or its not formatted the right way. GET IT DOWN ON PAPER (Even if its digital paper - i.e. on the computer.)
I made me a mural... a desktop wall paper that shows me what motivates me. It's a collection of all the things that motivate me and also reminds me of all the REWARDS I'll get when I succeed. (Notice I didn't say IF I succeed but WHEN I succeed.) I will succeed... it's just a matter of when. And when I do, there's so much good waiting for me. As I mentioned - money (finanical) is one of the motivators.
Why? Because with money I will be able to travel again. I miss my friends and family. I'm tired of being so far away and not able to afford the gas or the plane ticket to go see them. I want to plan something and then GO. My friends are very dear to me, the ones I've met long ago and the ones I still have yet to meet.
If I make $50,000 I'll be able to go to Helicopter school and I've already flown a helicopter. I know I like it... correction - I know I LOVE it. Once I get out of helicopter school, there's a huge demand for pilots because a lot of the Vietnam helicopter pilots are old and retiring. Starting pay for a helicopter pilot is $90,000 - if I go that route. Ultimately my dream job would be flying an air ambulance. :-)
I also want a Delorean (the car from Back To The Future) which is about $40,000. (No problem).
All this IS possible... IF I focus on writing the best stories I can write. It's not magic, it's not rocket science... if you dig deep inside of you, you can and will succeed. I'm going to share with you my wall paper (my mural) that is my inspiration. Make one for you - if that helps. And with the laws of attraction - you're bound to make it come true.
Watch me and I'll show you. ;-)
I'm embarking on this journey for several reasons. One of them is financial. I'm in it for the money and I'm not embarassed to admit it. I grew up in a poor family. I've watched my mom bust her ass for almost 25 years and just as she was about to retire with a pension, a young 20 something CEO comes in and lets her go... with only months left. It still makes me sick to this day. She taught me that hard work is the key... to never give up.
I'm tired of worrying about money. I'm also tired of struggling. For the last three years I was not living, I was "surviving" -- barely making enough money to eat or keep the roof over our heads. What drove me crazy is that I'm a man of many talents and skills and yet none of them were bringing in the income needed. Talk about frustrating. (It's like being a super hero but unable to use your super powers.) Something like that.
Well, in the last few years, the game has changed in the writing world. People don't need the big 6 publishers to write a book anymore. Also, Digital E-Readers are starting to come into play. More and more people are starting to buy E-Books and while there are more and more people submitting books, the field hasn't changed.
Yes, newbies and people who publish crap are saturating the market (if not now, they will in the next 5 to 10 years) but the desire for quality - the need for good quality writers will still be there. For example... look how the internet has leveled the playing field for musicians. Now, any band playing out of their mom's garage can upload an mp3 and make a youtube video... but have they stopped or hurt the professional musicians? Not at all.
Because everyone has an audience.
If I write a book about a psychopath knife slashing bunny rabbit that is terrorfied of traffic lights... guess what? Someone, somewhere is going to like it. Actually a group of people will probably like it. (Why - that's left for another debate) but the point being... someone is going to like your work.
And someone else is going to hate it. Even if your slasher bunny was made of pure gold and written so well that your librarian uses it as mommy porn - there's still going to be haters. Haters gonna hate. I hate to say that but its true. So ignore them, unless they have something constructive to say like
"This E-Book sucks because instead of being afraid of traffic lights, he should be afraid of carrots! Then we'd have a best seller!" Do you know what mr. grumpy pants? I think you might be onto something!
Why? Because we live in a very distracting world. There are so many distractions that pull our attention away... Facebook, Work, Home, Money problems, Driving, Children, Animals, Friends... Pick one or add your own. Now... find some time away from these (if possible) and write. Write, Write, Write. Doesn't matter if your spelling sucks or its not formatted the right way. GET IT DOWN ON PAPER (Even if its digital paper - i.e. on the computer.)
I made me a mural... a desktop wall paper that shows me what motivates me. It's a collection of all the things that motivate me and also reminds me of all the REWARDS I'll get when I succeed. (Notice I didn't say IF I succeed but WHEN I succeed.) I will succeed... it's just a matter of when. And when I do, there's so much good waiting for me. As I mentioned - money (finanical) is one of the motivators.
Why? Because with money I will be able to travel again. I miss my friends and family. I'm tired of being so far away and not able to afford the gas or the plane ticket to go see them. I want to plan something and then GO. My friends are very dear to me, the ones I've met long ago and the ones I still have yet to meet.
If I make $50,000 I'll be able to go to Helicopter school and I've already flown a helicopter. I know I like it... correction - I know I LOVE it. Once I get out of helicopter school, there's a huge demand for pilots because a lot of the Vietnam helicopter pilots are old and retiring. Starting pay for a helicopter pilot is $90,000 - if I go that route. Ultimately my dream job would be flying an air ambulance. :-)
I also want a Delorean (the car from Back To The Future) which is about $40,000. (No problem).
All this IS possible... IF I focus on writing the best stories I can write. It's not magic, it's not rocket science... if you dig deep inside of you, you can and will succeed. I'm going to share with you my wall paper (my mural) that is my inspiration. Make one for you - if that helps. And with the laws of attraction - you're bound to make it come true.
Watch me and I'll show you. ;-)
I'll sum up these images for you. 2013 Ford Escape. I want my own life size Tardis, I want to eat healthier (hire a nutritionist and personal coach), I want to go Storm Chasing with some professional gear, I want to fly a Bell 222 helicopter (Airwolf style), I want to go back to Monico/Monte Carlo, I want to photograph beautiful women again, I want to help the homeless, I want to pet a real wolf and have my photograph taken next to a beautiful one. I want to adopt a child, I want to see my mom and dad (often), see my friends in Texas and go ghost hunting with my friends. I want to have a beautiful smile and fly helicopters. (Also meet Jason Statham). Also I want to have my own home theater in which my girlfriend and I can watch with our friends as loud as we want. Joe Konrath is also in this photo - his success is also an inspiration to me. :-)
