So I've done it. I've posted the first three chapters of my novel The Surrogate onto Smashwords and made it available through Amazon. Yikes! Now onto the part I've dreaded. What if nobody reads it? What if people don't like it? What if I haven't outsold JK Rowling by the end of the week? Terror!
Of course I'm nervous. Having spent most of my life hiding the fact that I like writing all of a sudden I have to prove to the world that I'm a writer. That I have talent. I'm sort of like one of those acts that sets foot onto the stage of the X-factor and you don't really know what to expect. He looks a bit funny, but does that mean we are going to hear the 'song of triumph' or laughter and derision. I'm shaking as I look at the Simon Cowells and Gary Barlows of this world. I'm hoping that the Kelly Rowlands will be giving me some good ol' fashioned deep South philosophy by the time they've read the sample chapters.
The truth is I shouldn't be afraid. If just one person reads it (currently nine have downloaded it) then it's one more person than would have read it if had stayed in the dusty memory banks of my laptop. If somebody doesn't like it (and I'm sure there will be people who don't) then at least I gave them the opportunity to like it in the first place. If I don't sell as many as JK Rowling? Well, when you have nothing, a little bit more than nothing is a bonus!
This isn't for the short term for me. If I don't hear Take That's Shine as I leave the stage, then I'll be the guy who claims that he'll be back. The one who claims that nobody appreciates his talent.
"I'll show you, I'll be bigger than all of you man!"
You have a good philosophy there! The reason for writing is to have people read what you've written - so good luck to you!
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