What’s the biggest risk you’d like to take — but haven’t been able to?
I’m the most boringly unadventurous person on the planet when it comes to risk. I don’t mind things like flying, the end result is wonderful, new people places and experiences. Well worth it. it’s what I think of as the smaller risks that freak me out, those with no fringe benefits.
Skiing is one example. My balance isn’t the best, it’s a family thing, I get vertigo. Put those two opportunities for chaos together and why would I throw myself down a mountain, where there could be any number of hidden rocks or other skiers also losing control, only to reach the place where I started. It would be pretty dumb, unnecessary, and doesn’t have the Grand Canyon, Sweden, Paris, Rome, Sedona, Sorrento, Orlando, at the end of it.
Risks I’d like to take
They aren’t big. It’s a silly thing really and I haven’t given up.
I’ve taken so many knocks with my work that the risk I don’t take is spending money to promote it. Social media obviously offers that opportunity, but what I can afford brings in zero returns.
However, I’m not beaten and I will find a way. But just sometimes the fear of being hurt again if I put my head above the parapet, plus the cost/benefit/success question, has left me sitting trying to work out if it’s all worth it.
Most of these bugaboos are settled now. But with so many people promoting similar things in the same place, and self-help publishers sticking with their current authors because they can’t take the risk on a new name however good a writer you may be, the opportunities have been disappearing for a while. Added to that they expect the author to promote.
I know two well-known authors. One told me that he did better when he self published, another told their publishing house that they couldn’t do another book as they had nothing new to write. so this isn’t an excuse. One actually recommended me. The publishing house offered a charming no.
But…
God bless the Manilow
At one of his concerts he told us that the successes aren’t necessarily the most talented people, they’re the people who hear the word no 99 times and try again.
You may be smiling if you’re not a Manilow fan, but he is still incredibly popular, he broke Elvis’s record in Las Vegas this year with 637 consecutive sold out shows.
He’s successful because he believes in himself and loves what he does. He puts everything into his shows, he’s kind, inspirational, has been hurt, tries to help his fans, the planet, people.
All in all, and as several times before, he is why I will keep trying. I want to help people. That’s another excellent reason, a fabulous fringe benefit.
‘God bless the other 99’, as the song goes.
Deb xx
Deb Hawken - Amorah 