Convinced I had something to say. Too impatient to hold out for a royalty publisher, I self-published. Am I sorry? Nope. Considering I would most likely still be wanting to be published. So? I would have liked that my publisher insisted I realize that self-publishing meant; self-marketing, self-employment, self-publicity, self-financing, self-hawking, self-yada, yada, yada. But that ain't like anymore a reasonable expectation than thinking folks are going to read the death notices on cigarettes, regardless of who insist on what.

Of the plethora of publications on getting published there may not be many that have sufficient warnings of the enormous task to entry the world of published authors. And who would read, much less heed the warnings? Besides, I don't think I would read a book on why I shouldn't want to write a book. However, the overwhelming amount of urging and encouraging one gets from the self-publishing-publishers is the stuff Paris Hilton is made of.

FLUFF. Okay that's an overstatement. I know nothing of Paris Hilton, and vice versa. Truth? If I did know Ms. Hilton I would get an endorsement for my little novel and make some big bucks.

Can you expect to make money as an author? I did read somewhere the odds are better with the lottery, but still; there are successful authors, and lottery winners as well. What I managed to forget is what I learned in my little small business some twenty years ago, don't do it for the money. My little business was actually featured (that's another overstatement), but it was written up in, Inc. Magazine, (that part is not overstated.) What turned a struggling business into a mention in the then pinnacle of business publications? A triple digit profit increase in as many years. How? I dropped the fervor of making money to seek excellence in what the business was all about. When we neared some excellence in service, product and reputation for same, bingo, the mulah followed. If the wisest and the riches man ever recorded, no not Donald, said, "A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches (Proverbs 22:1 KJV)." Should not we listen? He did not say instead of great riches, but suggested a reputation should be first.

What's the point? Jerry Jenkins reminds us all, whatever you write, write your very best. When you do your very best you have a great sense of accomplishment. That may not be priceless, but certainly worth the cost.

May God bless you dramatically today.