If you think the writing's hard--and it is--it's when you get it done and your writing's out there in the world that the hard part comes! The sense of accomplishment you feel in getting all these wiggly characters and threads of story-line under control and headed in the right direction, and the editing and formatting, and your cover and all the pages before the story........and now it's out there and it's a real book!
This is such a big deal for you!!!
But it's nowhere NEAR as big a deal in the lives of your friends and family. So you wait, and wait, to hear that they've purchased it. And then you wait and wait to get some feedback....
During this time you think: Now what? Do I have any other ideas (all those big or little ideas in your cupboard suddenly look dry and pitiful.)? You think: Can it really be that bad? You think of abandoning writing all together, etc etc. Takes a valiant heart to keep believing in your story and yourself.
But you get to join Author's Den and put your book and other pieces up there to attract customers, you get to write little ads about your book. So that's all fun, but illusory til you get some feedback.
Oh dear...am I discouraging all you prospective writers?? I hope not. It's a great journey, but it's a reminder it REALLY needs to be about the process of writing it, and of believing in what you're writing, and doing the very best job you can of nurturing it into some fruition. And whatever else happens is up to Life.
Good article.
Mark