Are you a successful writer?

1. If I make up good stories, that's a kind of success. I'm happy if I can do that. Lots of folks can't. I'm pretty sure I can.

2. If I write the stories down in a way that involves you, the reader, that makes you feel you are experiencing the story rather than just reading about the story, that's a kind of success. I'm even happier if I can do that. Lots of folks can't. I'm pretty sure I can. I'm working on doing it more reliably, and although it isn't easy, it's a very enjoyable kind of work.

3. If I find a way to get many copies of my work made and read by many people, that's a kind of success. I would be very happy indeed if I could do that. Lots of folks can't. I haven't managed it yet.

4. If I make money by my writing, that's a kind of success. It would be satisfying if I could do that. Lots of folks can't. So far I haven't found a way to do this, either.

As far as I can tell, not one of these kinds of success depends on another.

I would only consider giving up writing if I became completely convinced that I would never again experience either of the first two kinds of success. I will continue trying to achieve the third kind, but only if it doesn't interfere with the first two. And as for the fourth, well, I like money well enough, but frankly, I've already found a way to make enough money to feed and clothe the family, pay the mortgage, and rent an occasional videotape. I would never give up writing simply because I thought I couldn't make money from it.

If anyone reading this is struggling with getting published and getting paid, I strongly recommend you take the time to think about your successes in the first two areas above, and don't despair. Don't let failure in one area blind you to your own successes in others.