Tag: Fame

Meeting Famous Authors

Efest dinner 2014 croppedI had a brush with famous authors during my vacation. Two of them, actually. And I am pretty sure they’re both still talking to me.

First, a bit of background: For the past fourteen years or so, I’ve been a member of kevinswatch.com, an internet discussion board dedicated to the works of bestselling fantasy author Stephen R. Donaldson. And when I say “bestselling,” I’m not kidding – each of his Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever books have made the New York Times list. Continue reading “Meeting Famous Authors”

You Are Here

When you go into most any large modern building, whether an office complex or a shopping mall, you may find a little information kiosk with a map. On the map, there will be an indication, a little x or a dot, that shows you where you are standing in relation to everything else in the building. It usually reads, “You are here.”

Indie writers work hard. We keep our heads down and plow forward. It’s not too terribly surprising to find that when we pause to look up from our work every once in a while that we really don’t have a good idea where we are.

The chart at left is an illustration of where you are. The three colored triangles represent the three broadly achievable goals being  wealth or fame or respect. You’ll note some slight overlap between those triangles. A small percentage of writers may become famous and wealthy, or famous and respected, or wealthy and respected. Continue reading “You Are Here”

You write for WHAT now?

I will never understand people who write for a living but don’t like it. And there are such people. It’s not like we’re rich. Hell, that would be like me deciding my calling was cleaning out portajohns. Writing is hard, it takes a long time, and you rarely get the adulation or money you deserve.

I was talking to one of these people recently. I asked him how he came to be bat-shit crazy. He mumbled something about a “son of a bitchin’ press release” and haroomphed a big loogey. That was my cue to leave.

Continue reading “You write for WHAT now?”