When Is It Okay To Brag?
Last time I wrote about being proud of your success and sharing that joy, that enthusiasm, that earned excitement with your friends and followers. I wondered often when it was okay to share that, when it was fair and not showy to talk about an goal you achieved or a task you crushed. And I am not always good at this, but I think I have learned--it is always the time to talk about that.
While I have busted my bum writing all the words, I barely lifted my head to look around and enjoy the ride I have been on. I used to have a great rapport with readers, with bloggers, and our world is changing every single day, but I have lost that connected. No one to blame for that but myself, I know that. Whenever I looked up to appreciate a teaser created by a reader or read a nice review, I swear I saw the competition sailing right past me. No, no, coasting right past at the speed of light, not just a gentle wave of all their success and me feeling anchored.
Truth is--no one but myself is my competition. I don't mean I am better or beyond anyone--oh, no not even close. We say it often in this community but I don't know if we really feel it--there is room for all of us. We should celebrate ourselves and each other. We should congratulate ourselves and our achievements as much as we do our peers--or those we think our sailing right past us. I truly feel this, and at the start, I did that--before I became lost in a wave of self-doubt.
Now, I want to celebrate myself and my hard work.
Here are some things I am very excited about:
In 2021, I got 100 reviews for the first time since I published in 2016. That means of all my books, just one [at the time, thankfully] had gotten to 100 reviews. Used to be 50 was supposedly some magical number on Amazon--I no longer buy that, but to see that at least 100 people had read and--mostly--liked my book? That is something to celebrate!
I have since had more than one book hit 100 and it is such an amazing feeling!
I had 4 books hit #1 in various categories on amazon, some paid categories, some free, and that little orange banner, it doesn't mean much in the grandiose of things--but man it sure feels nice! That is something to celebrate!
I made money. In four months of 2021, I profited. Readers may think we bring in the bucks, and some do, but when you add in cover costs, editing, promotion, website, etc, etc, it costs to release every book we release. This past year, I made profit and so far in 2022, it may not be astounding numbers, but it's better than it was before. That is progress. That is something to celebrate!
I am looking to hit USAT this year, and maybe I will, maybe I won't--but I am TRYING! And you know what? That is something to celebrate!
Celebrate yourself. Celebrate every little win and brag about it. Talk yourself up! Love yourself and your work!
