Forget the Score: What Success Means for Writers

What is the Definition of Success for a Writer?

I am probably the best couch judge of Dancing with the Stars. Though, my husband is a close second.

I love the show. Not just because it’s entertaining to watch professional dancers who seem to have more vertebrae than a snake perform moves that would send most of us to the hospital.

The show takes individuals who often have little to no dancing experience and helps them grow, develop, and transform into incredible performers. It is hard work. It takes immense effort. As a viewer, you can't help but root for your favorites. You become attached to them. You hurt when they have a rough night, and you rejoice when they nail a routine.

I feel the exact same way about meeting and getting to know new authors. Some I have known personally for years. Others I have met at writers conferences, and some I simply know through conversations in my social media DMs.

But the feeling is identical. I rejoice in their accomplishments. I mourn with them when they face setbacks.

And just like Dancing with the Stars, writing can face a tough reality. Some authors put their whole heart and soul into it, dedicating endless time and effort, and still won't make it to the finale.

Maybe some of us try and try, but we just can’t get a manuscript exactly the way we want it. We end up setting it aside, perhaps to work on it another day, or perhaps to leave it behind for good.

Maybe some of us put in all the hard work, overcome the hurdles, and actually get a book published. Huzzah! But then we find that, although it was a magnificent accomplishment, we got it out of our system. We did what we set out to do, and we are content to move on to something else.

And then, maybe some of us work, dedicate ourselves, go through all the channels, and get that first book published, then find a fire lit inside us that refuses to be put out. We start writing at the speed of light, publish six more books the next year, and suddenly find ourselves building a full-time career.

Just like on the dance floor, we are going to have performances where we miss the mark and others where we nail it, no matter how well we trained and prepared. But no matter what we do or don’t do, we will always have people who judge us.

Like the judges' panel on DWTS, readers and critics will view our work through entirely different lenses. Some will absolutely love our content. Some will wish we portrayed more emotion. Others will say we are doing it all incorrectly, while the person sitting right next to them will completely disagree and give us a perfect score.

It is honestly not unlike looking at the star ratings on Goodreads.

But just like the contestants on the DWTS show, we authors still go out there and try.

I think we all start pursuing a dream with the intention of it being a massive hit, aiming straight for the New York Times bestseller list. But should we feel bad if we eventually decide that isn't the path we actually want? Should we feel like a failure if we realize we had fun, but we are over it? Or what if we actually do make it big?

I think true success isn't determined by the judges' scores or our placement on a list. Success is the courage to take a chance in the first place. To step onto the floor, dance your heart out while learning, having fun, and creating deep, meaningful relationships all along the way.