Last night at Toastmasters, one of the speakers talked about creating a new holiday, Get Real Day. He proposed that on this day people contemplate what is real in their lives versus what is wishful thinking. Sorting out the real, he said, helps one focus on what is important and provides “a filter for our desires.” As I was listening to his speech, I kept thinking about my writing and blogging and how blurred my writing identity has become. It is time for me to get real.
What is real?
I am a writer. Over the past twenty years, I have published many technical books for various companies. Since the mid-eighties, I have written newsletters for numerous non-profit organizations. Most of my letters to the editor are published. For many years, I blogged about women’s issues; now I blog about writing and indie publishing, having published my first book this past June. I am now in the process of writing two ebooks. I am legitimately a writer, an author, an indie publisher, and a blogger. So why don’t I feel legitimate? Why do I feel like a pretender, especially when it comes to saying I am a blogger?
It is not a matter of thinking that my blog is valueless. I address issues important to indie authors and publishers. I talk about what is new in the field, what is confusing me, and how I solve related problems. Sometimes the solutions are my own, often they come from research. I feel that my blogs are unique and that my voice and point of view distinguishes it from others. The problem is I have so few readers.
In reality, I am not a marketer. To compensate for this deficiency, I study other bloggers, listen to podcast, and attend on-line training. Everyone seems to have a different strategy. Many just don’t seem to be the right fit. This week, I listened to Nancy Marmolejo‘s webinar: Cracking the Code to Your Marketing Genius. What I learned was to work my strengths and natural skills. What is right for one person may not be a right fit for me. I knew that; hearing Nancy say it made it easier for me to accept. Instead of being overwhelmed with all the information there is on marketing, I need to focus just on what feels right for me. No more wishful thinking that I will be successful if I only follow Plan A, B, or C. It is time for me to make my plan, write a schedule, and stick to it. I have to be realistic with myself and set real and attainable goals,
The Blur
I think a large part of my problem with marketing comes from trying to define what “success” means. Yesterday, a reader came to see me prior to the Toastmaster meeting; he wanted me to autograph his copy of my book. What better affirmation to success is that? Now, if only I could get readers to my blog. As the readers come, will I feel successful with 1000 new views each month, with 10,000? Each person defines what it means to be successful. On this Get Real Day, I look realistically at what motivates me. I cannot let the success of someone whom I admire blur the meaning of success for me; that is just wishful thinking.
Also, success is not the prime motivator for me; neither is money. Realizing this helps be eliminate all the blog marketing strategies that promote “success” and financial gain. Success for me is to have an engaging blog and to be able to help others with my writing. This might sound lofty; but on this Get Real Day, it is honestly how I feel. So, instead of concentrating on building readership and fixating on the analytics, I resolve to write more often. That is my real purpose—I am a writer.
What is wishful thinking?
Positive thinking can be a catalyst to making something real. With hard work, dedication, and determination, the positive thinker can change the current reality. Wishful thinking, on the other hand, is a deterrent. It is making decisions based on fantasy, on the way we wish life were. Making such unsound decisions can lead to frustration, even failure. Taking time to do a reality check, and then to chucking off all the wishful thinking, can relieve this frustration and lead to more favorable reality. I highly recommend that you, too, partake in the Get Real Day. Getting real, may help you achieve your wishes.
