As the CEO and founder of Path To Publishing, I got slightly offended when PTP paid for a
series of ads for the "Act Like an Author, Think Like a Business" Conference to run in a
publication in which the publisher of the publication is well-respected in the literary industry.
Well, I noticed after the third run, the conference ad was always at the very bottom of the
newsletter; I'm talking the spot right above the copyright and disclaimers. To really put the nail
in the coffin, one week, the publisher opened the newsletter with a message about how authors
(self-published or traditional) will most likely never be able to support themselves financially.
The publisher then took a shot at those of us who provide courses and instruction teaching how
one can maximize, optimize, and monetize their role as a writer and author in order to build and
sustain a book and literary business . . . in order to make a living as a writer.
This showed me, to a degree, this publisher's level of integrity. If the publisher felt this strongly
about the matter, why on earth would the publisher of the publication have accepted money to
share such an ad with its audience . . . an ad promoting something the publisher clearly feels
negatively about or disagrees with???
I must admit, I made an on-the-verge-of-a-rant post on my personal Joylynn M. Ross FB account
within moments after that particular ad ran. My post didn't call out any names, but it expressed
my frustration in how some of these literary industry professionals, gurus, and experts are
nothing more than literary dream killers when they insist that, in my opinion, you'll do better
financially being a Walmart greeter than a writer or an author. What's so hypocritical is that most
of these literary industry authorities who insist on telling people they can't make a living as a
writer are—you guessed it—making a living as a writer themselves! Yes! The publisher of the
publication I referenced above, the one basically telling others they can't make a living as a
writer, is, in fact, making a living as a writer!
Well, since my post, nearly every day God has been sending confirmation (via emails,
newsletters, and podcasts) that writers and authors should NEVER allow others to discourage
them from putting in the effort to reach their literary dreams and goals, and they should NEVER
give up on their efforts to build their literary empire or a career as a writer. This confirmation
included a newsletter from ALLi (Alliance of Independent Authors), who, in the Path To
Publishing course curriculum, Path To Publishing lists as a professional organization indie
authors should consider joining.
"Create Your Own Year! Don’t listen to doom and gloom stories about author income. These
surveys have inherent flaws in their methodology and unexamined assumptions about what is
good for books and authors, based on a traditional way of viewing the world. Make Money Your
Measure! This doesn’t mean becoming mercenary or crass, but too many authors are putting too much attention into FB likes or noise and buzz. Money is a very real measure of your writing’s value to readers and how well you’ve shaped your offering to the world."--Orna Ross (no
relation to Path To Publishing CEO, Joylynn Ross)
There’s literary success, and there’s financial literary success. As authors, we determine our own
measure for each. And there absolutely should be a measure for both literary success and
financial literary success.
Money matters. If you have a message to tell, well, it cost money to move the message. And if
you only want to make enough money to move the message, that’s fine. But if making a living as
a writer is part of the plan, then you have to determine what that looks like for you and the
efforts and actions you need to take in order to achieve it . . . then take action.
Why you write, why you publish, and why you sell a book are all three different thought
processes, and as an author, your intentions, actions, efforts, and goals should be based upon
your answers.
Confirmation is still arriving in my inbox, the latest in the form of a video, in which I'm sharing
the link for you to view below. So, watch the video, and then make sure you register for the "Act
Like an Author, Think Like a Business" Conference at www.pathtopublishing.com/conference, and this literary industry professional, guru, authority, and expert will see you in Vegas, along with the other literary artists, literary entertainers, and literary rock stars who are building books, building book businesses, and creating multiple streams of income to sustain their book business!