When I published my trilogy, the thing I wanted more than sales is to feel accomplished. That I made a difference in someone's life, and that I saved them from their darkest moments. That my MC is an inspiration and a role model for many girls (cosplay optional.) I want to look back decades from now with pride that I did something amazing. That I achieved something worthwhile. I don't want to be on my deathbed filled with regret that I did something wrong or that I wrote the wrong story. Or is it too much to ask? That my books are just another product? I'm pretty much sure a lot of us have stories that deeply touched us to the point we overlook errors and typos just to see what happens because we care so much. I know I do. A lot of the stories go back to my childhood and if I ever feel down, I can retreat to those stories and be happy again.
I think you're setting yourself up for failure here, because as your writing improves, as your craft gets better, you will inevitably look back at your old writing and think, "Meh that could have done with more work." Another thing, unless you self-publish, you are writing to the market. Even if you self-publish, you're still writing to the market, you just have more say in certain matters. But in the end, if it doesn't reach the market, then you don't have any readers. If reach is what you're after, trad publishing is the route - but unless you're willing to understand and accept that publishing, at the end of the day, is a business like any other, you may become disillusioned. If publishing something according to your own heart is what you're after, self-publishing might be better, but unless you have the kind of cash a publisher has to throw into marketing or are particularly market savvy yourself with such a background, your reach will be extremely limited. Is that enough for you? Hoping your book has "saved" someone sounds a little bit like delusions of grandeur, honestly. Your book is a piece of entertainment. Most people will pick up your book because they want a bit of fun, want to relax, want to forget about work, because they're bored. How do you define "save"? When I was pretty down at a dead end job, I found Sophie Kinsella's books that made me laugh, and it was exactly what I needed then - silliness and fluff - and to this day I have a fondness for her, even though her books aren't very good honestly. Is that "saving" someone? I wouldn't say it "saved" me. But it did make me laugh when I needed it. Is that enough for you? You may find it hard to take critique and suggestions to change your book, which would make your craft and your book stronger, if you're intent on saving readers with your book. Either you'll end up badly hurt and give up, or you'll plunge on ahead with a probably subpar piece of work - because how can you accept suggestions if you're convinced your book is to become someone's beacon? Or alternatively, how can you not take suggestions - but then you'll end up trying to take every person's contradictory advice. No, I don't see a happy ending with that line of thought. Your book is a fun project for yourself, and hopefully will be good entertainment for others. Maybe it'll be remembered, maybe it won't, and maybe it'll make a handful of people think. Get good enough just to get published in the first place - because until then, all this is just words. It's ok to want to affect your readers at such a deep level. It's ok to hope for it. But no, I wouldn't seek it per se - I certainly wouldn't expect that my writing should achieve that. No harm done reaching for it, but stay grounded. In the end, publishing is a business. Your book is a product. And you may be the only person who will ever love your book.
Keep in mind that every book you've ever read that touched you or moved you was accepted by a publisher (unless it was self-published), and that means it had to be written to industry standards of the time. Also keep in mind that for every book that does get accepted and published, I don't even know how many got rejected, but it's probably in the thousands if not hundreds of thousands. So your best chance for reaching people is to polish your skills to their best level. And if you're self-publishing you still need developed skills. If instead you go in with romantic and unrealistic expectations and are too attached to your work on a sentimental level, it will bring a lot of pain. People who succeed at publishing, whether it's traditional or self, learn to deal with rejection (a lot of it) and to in fact learn from it and improve their work until the rejections stop and the acceptances begin. Nobody here wants to be a dream killer, but we see so many people with unrealistic dreams and without the proper skills to realize them. Your focus should be on developing those skills. It takes time, and it happens slowly by stages, but being involved in the growth process feels amazing and you get to watch your skills and your work improve.
that's a good dream. (i'm using this in the sense that when you visualize an outcome you control, it's a goal, and when you visualize an outcome that is out of your control, it's a dream, and dreams have value.) is it too much to ask? I don't think that's the right question. you're asking about a dream, not a goal, and so when we're talking about dreams, we have to find the things that will increase our chances of that dream actually happening while detaching ourselves from the belief that we can control it. so if your dream is to write a story, and then someone picks up that story, reads it, and finds an experience that they didn't expect but that happened anyway, and they walk away better for having had that experience... i think the right question is "what do i need to do to create stories that touch people?" you have to figure out how to write a story that makes that reaction possible and then hope it happens for someone and you actually hear about it. if i have had this experience, i don't recall it, so maybe it didn't touch that deeply.
You're right. It's too idealistic but the media (especially the internet) is full of stories about people's lives changed because of an author. Things like: a terminally ill kid scared of surgery calmed thanks to its favorite author of YA novels someone with relationship problems gets fixed thanks to a romance novel someone inspired to become a skilled professional because of a mystery/thriller book someone in a life threatening situation overcomes adversity because of an event recalled in a horror book The list goes on. And this says nothing of the countless people who have found friends, met spouses, and even found jobs because of author's book or series. TV Tropes has a Promoted Fanboy page about companies recruiting fans to work alongside their favorite creators. It's like a dream come true. I can't imagine the amount of fan letters authors like JK Rowling have received over the years.
It's not something that can be manufactured deliberately. It will likely take decades to get to the point where the work has the potential, but it does happen. Kerouac never set out to be the poster child of a new literary movement, but his writing had what was needed at the time to inspire a generation. ON an individual level, who knows. And the thing is, you'll likely never find out.
I think that would all be very nice, but so long as people enjoy what I write and I enjoy writing it, it's a mutual benefit to us both. I've never been one to care about the whole "role model thing." Particularly because there are so many amazing women in real life that do real things that truly make a difference and stand up against real opposition. My characters on the other hand? They only do good things because I make them do good things. True, I can create the illusion of hardship, but ultimately, they are nothing more than words on paper. They're an ideal. And I don't want anyone to have a role model that is, well, fake.
If you want to make a difference, a tangible one, why not write/revise higher quality books and sell a lot of them so that you can donate to a charity that matters to you? Or use some of your work paycheck? That's certainly something you can look back on with pride. Maybe along the way you'll inspire some people too.
I feel accomplished writing "things" down. Over time, my writing has improved. As for publishing, is an area I haven't ventured into . . . don't think I will either. Why? My opinion only but writing is a craft . . . a piece of art. As for publishing, it must tick all the boxes of how it is/should be. Writing itself . . . for yourself . . . gives the individual pride. You've achieved something and for yourself . . . it is worthwhile. As for making money . . . it's a business. This here is where the difference lies
@DaiFesXII - I reckon if you write a book/trilogy whatever that takes people away from their real lives for a while, and maybe gives them something to think about afterwards, that's an excellent result. Especially if they feel touched enough that they want to read more from you. You could become one of their favourite authors ...which is kind of what you meant, I reckon? About making a difference? The only way to do that is to write an immersive story. You need characters people can sympathise with, in a setting that draws the readers in, and with a plot that seems to flow from one scene to another without jarring the reader, and ends in a way that leaves the reader satisfied. I'd say your best chance is to write a story you want to read yourself. If you do it to a high standard and get it traditionally published, or self-publish it, and enough people get to read it, who knows? You might achieve your dream. So ...if you haven't already started writing, get started! And if you have already started, I hope it is going really well. Nothing wrong with having a dream, and your dream is certainly worthwhile, in my opinion. But in order to fulfill your dream, you'll need to work your socks off.
Thanks for the responses but I'm okay now. I've read some books this week that makes really feel better about my writing. All fiction, of course. I realize that upon reading those books, I've got the confidence and the motivation to move on with my writing.
