Saying that professional writing is a marathon not a spring feels like a major understatement. Building a brand, developing a back list, learning the ropes of both production and promotion, they can years, and measurable success can be slow, especially if you’re goals are primarily financial.
This is why, in order to keep motivated, it’s important to stop and acknowledge the secondary goals and mini-successes which can fuel our climb.
That email from a reader who really really liked your book.
A great review.
The first time someone does fan art based on your book.
A pet named after one of your characters.
Someone who gave your books as a gift because they wanted to share them.
The person who tells you they’ve read your book multiple times because they just love it so much.
That time you got the “best seller” flag in your Amazon category.
Embrace these things, store them away in your emotional treasure chest, if you want, print them out and save them somewhere you can look at them. That way on the day when sales are low or a review is scathing, you remember why you are doing this.
H. L. Burke is an indie fantasy author, Fellowship of Fantasy founder, and author mentor with Sparkly Writer Princess Author Services.
You can find out more on her website at: https://www.hlburkeauthor.com/sparkly-writer-princess-author-serv