Tuesday, May 21, 2013

(They Just Keep) Moving the Line

Is it blog chain time again? Why yes, yes it is and I am already a day late in posting this but who's really counting - amiright?

Anywho, let's get things started with this question from the always amazing Cole:

How do you define success? Is it getting published, making the New York Times list, or just finishing a novel?

The moment I read this question, a song from the TV show SMASH (If you haven't seen it, it's about making a musical about Marilyn Monroe. The show is now cancelled and was often terrible, but I have a weakness for musicals and am sad to see it go.) called: "(They Just Keep) Moving the Line".


Three weeks from today - on June 11th - my debut novel will be published. 

Six years ago I started writing with the end goal of just finishing a novel. 

Then I moved the line. 

I wanted to find an agent and get published. 

I finally reached that line with my third novel. It was all I'd ever wanted and it still wasn't enough. 

Now I want great reviews, everyone in the world to buy my book, and to sell another book and another book and another book and... well you get the idea here. 

Making the New York Times list would be HUGE - blind-blowingly HUGE. Buuuut, yeah - even then I'd STILL want more. 

If I were JK Rowling or Stephen King, I think I'd even then keep on wanting more. I don't know exactly what that more would be - maybe something like having someone from five hundred years into the future come in a time machine to tell me that my books are printed on gold because they are considered that precious to people of the future (although, to be honest, if they were printed on toilet paper, I'd probably still fist pump and say "YES! Still in print!"). 

The thing is that humans are wired for wanting the same way that Wile E Coyote's can't help but chase the Roadrunner. And yes, sometimes, the publishing journey can hurt a little bit - but I haven't yet fallen off a cliff, so in that way, I guess I'm still better off than that poor old coyote.

Meep. Meep.

That's it from me, as always, to keep following this blog chain, go check out Sandra's blog next.