We're All Mad Here – Writers or Ghostwriters?

I am an author. But you already know that because I keep repeating it over and over again.
However, it is not you the one I want to convince, it is me.
I still can't believe that. Although anyone can be an author.
In fact, we are all authors in our way. You too. So it's nothing extraordinary about being an author.

These past two weeks I have been sewing for 10 hours a day in a row. We are making a quilt that we are planning on selling and donating money to a charity organisation.
6 days I have invested in it at this stage. But up until this stage, I have invested at least other 4. From morning to late evening.
The letters are dancing on the screen. I write by inertia because my fingers are tired and my eyes are utterly confused by these long hours focusing on many different pieces of colourful fabric.

This time off writing gave me the opportunity to listen to videos discussing the writers' world.
I am outraged by what I found out.

Writing is a business. 

If you thought people don't read anymore, you were wrong. As I was too.
People still read. Quite a lot really. And not only electronic versions, but paperback formats too.

This should be great news for me. And it is. It's fantastic news. However, the people who invested years (or lives) researching and writing, don't earn anything. If something, they lose.

Do you know why?
Because writers are not business people. 
We write because it's what we feel inside. 
We write for life. It's in our nature. As it is breathing.  

Once the book is out, we think it will sell itself because it's a great story.
Ha. This might have been true 20-50 years back. Not anymore.

The book, the amazing work of your life, might not be read by one single soul in this world if you don't invest unbelievable amounts of time and money in advertising. 

Writing is only 10% of getting the book into the hands of interested people.

Of course, most give up.
What real writer would want to put up with this inferno? 
"We are creative people!" 
You have no idea how much I sympathise with you. 

Truth is, I would like to sit and write the whole day long. Every day of the week, month, year.
But I don't write for myself.
If I need to learn marketing so you could read my books, I am going to learn marketing. I will hate every minute of it, but I am going to do what it takes to become worldwide known.

Some write because they mean business. These people invest loads of money in getting any book in the top 10. Usually, these stories are not that fantastic. Some are, of course.

But how do you know which is which? We are so easily manipulated. We go with the flow.

But the most important and disturbing part is that many authors don't write the books they put their names on.

Because their goal is fame and/or money, they do what it takes to see it happen. So their books are everywhere. And they become bestsellers authors.
Good for them. 
I am not jealous, I am actually impressed. Well done to them! I wish I was so... clever. 

 I don't write for fame and glory.

• I write because I am very good at it. 
• I write because I love helping people.
• I write great content that will remain in history for generations to come. 
• I write because this is my purpose in the world. 

I might be mad, but I am also a good writer. 

If you don't know me yet, you will hear about me soon. 

Anyway, for someone who had no idea how to promote it... Well, it did pretty well. 5 downloads. 

Just kidding. It had 20. 

No. Kidding again. 

It had a couple of hundred. 

Really? 

I am rolling on the floor. I hope we're not all family members. 

I have got quite a large family. 

Blessings. 

It has only a few and they are really not that good. 

 

Thank you so much for your visit. 

Have you read any of my stories and liked them?
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If you haven't read my books and are interested in doing so (English+Romanina), feel free to click on this link. It will take you to an external page (Amazon). 

The e-books in Romanian, signed with Cristina Gherghel (no longer Cristina G.), can be found here (Google Play). 

Were you looking for my author blog? 

It is here. 

Credit pictures

Some are from Pixabay, and some others from PNGtree. 

In case you are feeling generous and would like to help an author help others, click here. 

It will take you to PayPal. 

No amount is too little. 

I thank you from the bottom of my heart.