My publisher told me today that the time was here for me to focus on my website and my blog. I was not even sure I had a blog, but I was told I needed to let my readers feel a bit more at home with me – to know what I had been doing and was about to do.
Book inventory
It was suggested that now that I had thirteen titles published, I needed to let people know what I had done. I needed to reach more people, more who might conceivably like what I had to say or enjoy how I said it.
But I am of the opinion that my writing is crap. I was assured that Poe, Clemens, Hemmingway – in fact all the great writers, felt that same way about my work. I love to write. I hate to proofread and edit. I hate to keep re-reading the same old thing. When I am told to go back and re-read, I like to say, “Sorry, it’s already shipped!” I am told it does rhyme with that, but, still, go back and re-read.
I was told to try to make two or three entries a week at least to the blog. I would rather eat a bug. I was told that the 90-day cliff at Amazon is now more like a 30-day cliff, so I needed to crank up my production as well as polish the product. Sounds like fun.
So how did we get here?
I wrote in high school. I enjoyed it. For the last few decades, however, I have found myself in the real estate industry and enjoying that too. A couple of years ago I decided I would put some of my real estate concepts in writing for my customers. That was popular. Someone suggested I compile these items into a book.
More than 90% of the people in the United States, if asked, will tell you that they have always wanted to write a book someday. I realized I was just a handful of steps away from making that happen for myself. I also realized that, in some way, a book might help my credibility in the field. One book was born and soon became two books and then more.
The whole process of producing the written word became a passion for me. I started experimenting with writing book on topics other than real estate. The more I learned, the more I discovered I had left to learn, but I was hooked. I had, unbeknownst to me, turned to a new chapter of my own book.
As I said, in this new venture we have 13 titles. The real estate books are written under the name of Don Martin, some of the others, a couple different names. All of them, I feel need more work, and some may be rearranged and released as a series, but, so far, they are all non-fiction. And yes, I am working on several new non-fiction books currently, but now there looms a new dot on the horizon- yes, it’s …
Fiction – straight ahead and a little to the side
Some people say this is where the fun is. I have visited but never stayed. A good part of my earlier life has involved friends of mine that some people regarded as imaginary. But they have always been loyal to me, and always given me relatively good guidance with only one or two notable exceptions.
So, yes, we may stray into fiction, some short stories, some collections, maybe novels. Of course there will still be non-fiction and still real-estate, but as this new chapter begins for me, I hope I find some people enjoy what I do. It would certainly be a blessing to me if a LOT of people enjoy it and even invest a little of their money in my writings. I will do whatever I can to get good enough at what I do to earn and deserve your investment. And, yes, I am having a BLAST!
