Tuesday Tumbling Term ~ Determination

It's time for the term of the week for indie authors. This week's word is DETERMINATION.

de·ter·mi·na·tion
noun
1. the act of coming to a decision or of fixing or settling a purpose.
2. ascertainment, as after observation or investigation: determination of a ship's latitude.
3. the information ascertained; solution.
4. the settlement of a dispute, question, etc., as by authoritative decision.
5. the decision or settlement arrived at or pronounced.

Why is this important for any author especially the indie one?

Determination is essential to growing a thick skin that you'll need to wear...

• against doubters
• against critics
• against yourself
• to travel the path of one less and more traveled
• to be published even if it takes years or decades ...time

 When you announce to your family, circle of friends, or the world, there will be those that will think of you as a fool. They might never say it to your face, but it's there. The longer it takes to write, edit, and publish, the more this thought will manifest within them. They actually do not know how difficult writing and publishing is, or maybe they do. They just doubt your ability to see it through to the end. It will take determination to see it through.


When you publish a book, there will be critics. There always are. Whether the critics praise or slam your baby is up to them. All's you can do is wear your thickened skin through it. That takes determination to ride the wave and see it through.
 While you are writing, you are constantly in a battle with yourself. Am I a good enough writer? Am I ever going to finish writing this book? Will my tweaks attract and agent or publisher? I'm only fooling myself at thought of being a writer?

The picture is fairly accurate, isn't it? Self doubt is the biggest killer of determination. Set your mind on the finish line. Many people think about writing a book. Some even start writing a book. Only a few will finish writing a book, let alone publish it. It takes determination to reach the finish line and see it through.

A few years ago, self publishing or indie publishing was a taboo subject for any serious author. I know because I was one of them. It takes a lot of know how, finesse, or outsourcing to make it in the indie world. Longevity becomes a key operating. You will not be successful overnight. Savvy marketing, niches, angles become selling tools you will use. It will take determination on your part to see it through.

That ties in nicely with my last point...time. Okay, maybe a few hundred people know you've written a book. How is that expanded to thousands and millions? It takes time. Even with the standard presses, they will seriously push your book for a limited time for about 5% of their author base. The rest is up to you. As an indie you gave to do all the pushing, not shoving, yourself. You will have to push against cracks in the doors of independent booksellers. You will have to push yourself to make everyone know who you are as a writer. You have to push yourself to advertise. It takes determination.

Do you have determination on your side?

Keep writing and loving the Lord.