Oftentimes, I read more than one book at a time. In this case, both are nonfiction.
The Aviator and the Showman has had me reflecting on the similarities between George Putnam and Trump. Putman was not a big success in his family business until he started contriving events. For example, he sent his son to "dangerous" adventures so the boy would "write" books about his adventures. (He had ghost writers.) He would host significant events, but if they didn't go as planned, he wouldn't pay the people he hired to create them. When he found Amelia Earhart, she was a social worker who had limited time as an aviator. He found her intriguing, which is why he chose her to be the first woman to ride in the first ocean-crossing expedition. If anyone crossed him, he would destroy that person's reputation. While he was alive, very few people told these characteristics or events about him. We'll have to stay tuned for that comparison.
I found The Business of Being a Writer by Jane Friedman just in time, as I had begun to obsess about the launch of my new book. Friedman makes a point that talent alone does not make a book a success. (First, you have to define success for yourself.) A person has to have an intrinsic motivation to write. There has to be an element of fun. Sometimes I forget that I'm having fun. I hope that makes sense. I've written about Imposter Syndrome. This feeling is a bit different. It is more about whether I don't do everything correctly; this book won't be a success.
My learning curve has been steep since I produced my first book, Downward Spiral. I knew nothing about marketing. I thought I knew quite a bit about writing and editing. Things have changed so much from even 2020. I believed that if I paid a line editor or developmental editor, my books would be mistake-free. It made me angry when things didn't work out as I had expected. The price tags on both services should have guaranteed these things, but they didn't. I realized after a time that the burden was on me. I have read many books with errors, and I was reminded that humans (and AI) still can make mistakes.
I'm off to work on my audiobook. Laryngitis caused by allergies has made narrating frustrating. I know my sound studio looks a bit rustic, but there is peace in working in a cedar closet knowing that no matter what is happening outside, such as dogs barking, the UPS man arriving, or someone cutting their grass, I will not be disturbed. Besides, I'm having fun.
Sunshine to you! (And cooler temperatures.)
Sandra