Excuses, Excuses: Grandma’s Got a Book on Amazon!
Grandma's Book
Today my mother’s paperback fiction book went up for sale on Amazon.com. Consider this: she’s 85-years-old, this is her first book, and she doesn’t use the Internet!
It is a very special world we live in. Susan Boyle, an unknown Scottish singer, can enter a talent show and be viewed 20 million times on YouTube. My mom, a retired grandma, can author her first book and make it available to everyone in the world. It’s “power to the people” now. Anything can happen and often does.
The story behind my mother’s book is that she worked on it for years–first in her head and then on paper. When I read the manuscript I found the story delightful and suggested she self-publish it. We chose one of the online self-publishing companies and for about $150 created an attractive pocket paperback.
I know mom faced discouragement while writing. There were years when the book didn’t make much headway. Recalling some of my own self-limiting statements, I made a list of excuses I use and perhaps she used too:
1. I’m too old.
2. I’m not an expert.
3. No one will want this.
4. These days you have to be famous. Only writers with platforms get published.
5. Other people are already doing this and doing it better than me.
6. No one else is doing this. There must be a reason.
7. I’m too busy. I keep getting distracted and won’t finish–ever.
8. I don’t have the money.
9. I don’t have any help, contacts, or the right connections.
10. I keep changing my mind about it.
11. This is just a pipe dream…a fantasy.
12. They (family, friends) will think I’m full of myself.
13. What if it flops and I’ve wasted my time?
14. I need to spend my time on more important things like surviving, making money.
What kept mom going?
What keeps any of us going?
I believe it is a desire to give something of ourselves…a gift that helps someone somewhere. It is a universal desire and we must keep it alive.
What about you–what thwarts your dreams?
What keeps them alive?
I have many excuses lately. All seem huge in my mind. But you are right in saying we want to give of ourselves.
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