Drop The Entitlement. Hear me out…
Creator: Jacob Cornelisz. van Oostsanen, 1524 | Credit: Public Domain
Up. Down. Up. Down. Up. Down. Swing your arms and raise them!
Let’s do it again.
Ha. Voilà.
Now that your blood is rushing and you’ve somehow snapped out of your self-induced coma, listen closely:
YOU
ARE
NOT
ENTITLED
TO
ANYTHING.
We’ll make an exception for the protection of your human rights and your overall safety, of course, but here, I’m referring to your writing.
No, the readership does not owe you shit. You may be the next Orwell or Jemisin. Your works may back your claims. Who the hell knows. But still, that does not constitute an express pass to a New York Times issue cover and universal acclaim.
There’s human nature involved, unfortunately. Most people don’t base their decisions on merit or competency alone. They need socio-economic stimuli.
Are you popular? Or likeable? Approachable maybe? Do they know you even exist?
Ask yourself those questions as you’re gearing up for your next release. What makes you stand out? Do you have a brand, a platform?
Those are the things you must consider before you let inflated expectations mess with your mental health. Success is hard to attain (for most, that’s not including nepo babies, social media sensations, and trust fund kids), and it takes time. Trials. Errors. Setbacks.
It requires a sense of self, a critical eye, humility, growth, and discipline. Talent alone cannot sustain a career. You need to be well-rounded, well-equipped for what’s out there.
Don’t expect instant success just because you wrote a great book. Right now, your potential audience is wondering, Who the fuck is he/she?
Happy writing.
