Great Expectations & Sincere Thanks

Star said:

Dear Fellow Scribes,

I want to thank all of you who brought me back down to earth regarding my "advance" questions. You guys are the writer's best friend and I truly appreciate all of you.

You knocked perfect sense into my head by explaining the good/bad that comes with six figure advances. And if I'm not mistaken, aren't these advances usually given to authors for MULTIPLE books? Why would I want to put the pressure on before proving myself with my first book anyway?
Bottom line: If I'm going to be a writer, and I want to make a living at it, then I need to write and write and write some more!

True, I was hoping to create in luxury, but why not start with class? There's nothing worse than a money-grubbing author. It takes away from the beauty and wonder of the muse. Don't get me wrong. I will always have great expectations for my work, but now, I'll be hoping and dreaming and creating on "earth".

So once again, I'm so thankful to all of you for putting things in perspective. You guys are the most supportive group I've NEVER met.

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Well, they're usually given to writers who have already proven they can sell a boatload of books. It's good to remember that Stephen King received only a $2,500 advance for his first novel, and I believe J. K. Rowling received only 1,500 pounds, which isn't much better.

Star said:

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True, I was hoping to create in luxury, but why not start with class? There's nothing worse than a money-grubbing author. It takes away from the beauty and wonder of the muse. Don't get me wrong. I will always have great expectations for my work, but now, I'll be hoping and dreaming and creating on "earth".

So once again, I'm so thankful to all of you for putting things in perspective. You guys are the most supportive group I've NEVER met.

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That's what drove me for the first few years of my writing aspirations. The idea of living in the lap of luxury seemed like the ultimate thing to me, partially because my family was pretty poor for a family in the U.S. Pacific Northwest.

But you know? Lap of luxury living will never satisfy me the way accomplishing a well-written piece of writing will. There's an old saying, "He that is faithful in little, also is faithful in much". I've learned over the last few years, with my first novel going to a less-than-legitimate publishing house and getting one of the worst book covers ever put onto a volume, that success is more being a respected person within the business and not so much an ultra-rich person within the business. I hate to compare the two, but Stephen King and James D. Macdonald are two writers I highly respect. On the one hand, Stephen King is a huge name, household and everyone in the world knows who he is. On the other hand, Uncle Jim is a mid-list author, if I understand the term correctly. He makes a living off writing, but is not the ultra-huge name Stephen King is.

Though King has a bigger name than Uncle Jim has, I find them equally successful where my own ideas of success are concerned. Money and fame are fleeting, but a good reputation is more valuable than any amount of grand riches. To be respected like either of these great writers, regardless of the money or fame involved, would be more than just success to me: it would be good success.

I'm glad you've come to this same realization. I think when a writer gets that figured out, they become far more mature and are more prepared for monetary and publishing success.

Good for you, Star.

Yeah, there's just nothing like getting to smack a newbie over the head to bring them back down to earth. We live for stuff like that!