Tag: success

Roulette or Poker?

I don’t think of myself a gambler. It is not the sort of thing I like. I have no problem with people who enjoy gambling. I am just not one of them.

For me, it’s not any kind of ethical or moral issue. I just can’t get past the idea that never—in the entire history of casinos—has there ever been a scene where the mobsters sat around taking the count at the end of the night and saying, “Man, we really got screwed tonight.” It is as impossible to consider as a used car salesman coming to the realization that some yokel just ripped him off. It just doesn’t happen. The odds always favor the house. You have to know when you walk into a casino they didn’t pay for all that—the garish opulence, tigers, and girls wearing little more than smiles—by losing a lot of money. Continue reading “Roulette or Poker?”

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”