Monday 4 January 2016

Remembering why we write...


I've just had the most lovely text... okay, it's from a friend (obviously; she has my phone number!), but a friend's appreciation of your book is every bit as wonderful as a stranger's :)

It said: "My God Terry, I finished The House of York last night, I've been beside myself all weekend, I couldn't put it down.  It was absolutely brilliant.  By far the best book I've read in ages. I absolutely loved it."


I may not be an Amazon top seller, but I had two lovely new reviews for this book today, as well, neither of which were expected.  It made me think about why I write, in the first place (yes, I know it's the creative urge you can't explain, but aside from that...)


There is so much emphasis on marketing and sales, everywhere, that sometimes it's easy to feel like a failure if you're not selling thousands a week and doing podcasts and video interviews and getting paperbacks into independent bookshops and appearing at literature festivals, etc, etc (I know I do!), but the best thing of all is simply when someone chooses to read what you've written and really, really loves it.  I was also pleased to see that all five of my oldest books sold today; out there, somewhere, those people chose one of mine, out of all the millions available.  Not thousands of people, but that's okay.  Perhaps they'd read others and had returned for more!  Before Amazon Kindle no-one except my friends and family ever read my novels ~ being able to get one's stuff in front of any small section of the reading public, at all, is wonderful.  Full stop :)

January 4th is the best day of the year, so far!!!



12 comments:

  1. That's just wonderful, TT. I got to the end of this and felt all warm and fuzzy and a little bit choked. You are so right! There's nothing more wonderful than real heartfelt appreciation. I'm so happy for your happy day! Fantasmagical!!

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    1. Thank you so much, Val ~ I didn't know if this post was a bit silly, but when I got that text I was just so pleased, and it actually made me happier than the amount I sold of the book when it was on Kindle Countdown last week! xx

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  2. It's a great feeling, isn't it? Congratulations :)

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    1. Thanks, Riley. This was one of those total 'impulse' blog posts - I got the text and it made me so happy it really made me think.

      I rememember ages ago, selling a massive ton of books after a big promotion, and it actually made me feel a bit scared. The text and reviews of yesterday made me feel happier!

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  3. Ahh, a lovely little post there! And yes it's a good feeling when people tell you they've enjoyed your writing. I'm getting on to House of York very soon! :)

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    1. Thanks for reading, Emma! I think it's important, sometimes, to remember that it isn't a competition and we don't have sales targets - also, that we're in a massively tough, overcrowded business. Hope you like THOY when you get to it... that's me looking up at my to-be-read list on the wall, and seeing those rows and rows yet to be ticked off!

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  4. Hi Terry - that's great isn't it ... I read that Val thoroughly enjoyed it ... congratulations - and here's to many more successful sales ... cheers Hilary

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  5. Lovely post, Terry. My first read today, and made me smile. Congratulations.

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    1. Oh, thanks! Since writing this it got two more reviews, too, one from a stranger - I love those ones!

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  6. You're so right, Tyler. With all the struggle trying to sell we forget the really important things. Congratulations!

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    1. Thanks, Olga - a few more things made me remember this yesterday, which was why I posted it again. xx

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