Celebrity Manifesting (Don't Ever Give Up)

[Susan James]

If you feel like you’ve lost your dream, lost your way,
or simply need a kick in the pants,
maybe this will help..
Celebrity Manifesting (Don’t Ever Give Up)(sj) http://susanjames.wordpress.com/

[Gladys Hobson]

I have read your piece, Susan. But it seems highly based on motivation to be rich and famous. I want neither of these. You say we all follow celebrities but I don't. I think many of them appear to be running away from who they really are and what really matters in life — as such, they are poor role models. And poor role models are bad for society. Good role models are those who do not seek to be famous but rather stand out among the crowd.
Sure, like all authors, I want my books to reach a wide readership but not at any price. I want my writing to succeed on its own merits.
Please do not think I am a quitter. Having had poverty thrown in my face when I was young I vowed to succeed against the odds and become a dress designer - even though I was forced to quit college due to home circumstances. I trained to be a teacher when my three children were young. It was not easy and the college where I attended made no allowances. I studied for church ministry when I was in my fifties (at a time when many people refused to accept women in roles usually associated with male clergy). I was one of the few people in the Church Of England to gain an ADipR. And I worked for a BA hons in my late sixties. In my later years I gained a certificate in Counselling Skills and successfully completed other courses. I have been married for 56 years and have three sons to be proud of. I have a number of books - in print and for sale as Ebooks. I have received excellent reviews from people whose opinion I value. I have a number of readers who look forward to reading future books. My illustrated book of childhood memories sold out locally and earned a good amount for charity. Not Fame, not celebrity status but a small measure of success of which I can be justly proud without the need to boast. AND I am not unusual. There are many writers who have overcome personal circumstances far more difficult than I have experienced, who will never reach the halls of fame.
But you do not need to be a 'celebrity' to achieve happiness in life. Sure it may sell books but they are not necessarily read.
Lost my dream? We all start out with hopes of our books being recognised. But there comes a time of recognition of what will be - will be. A small fortune may get books sold, spending the whole of your time and energy on promotion may get books sold, but enough is enough. I suspect that top publishers will only publish books they can sell by the ton — those with lesser appeal to publishers can be just as good, maybe better. Not all can, or will get published. Or if self-published, not all will achieve great sales. But, as an old friend said to me, just to complete a full-length book is an achievement in itself. To see it in print and hold the book in your hand is remarkable. He is full of admiration for my achievements. (This 'admirer' is a retired director of a top company.)

[Jane Joyce]

Is this site and group for self promotion to other authors?

Why would we be interested in purchasing this book? Certainly everyone faces discouragement occasionally, but are we not more likely to get back on path through our own inner reflection and outer relationships?

I am not discouraging your work, I have not read it, but it does seem clear what your intentions are.

I think it is great that Gladys and you have both found personal success, and each uniquely, as that potential exists for us all. There is no room to judge, though I don't really follow celebrities, minus a few of my favorite musicians ( mostly whom I know personally [and some painters also]) but I don't even own TV and while to each their own, is it accurate to assume that all writers seek that status (I'm sure a lot do) but even if so do they follow "celebrities?"

I guess my ultimate question is, is this the appropriate forum for advertising your book? Kudos for finishing another one, but what is this website for? Advise on marketing, or marketing to authors?

Best of luck to you both with all your endeavors.

[ParaNovelGirl]

My favorite motto is "Never Surrender! Never Give Up!"
That's my claim to fame and I'm slowly climbing the ladder to success because I REFUSE to give up, even with disabling illness. I'm an AUTHOR! A published author and thrilled about it!!!

It's wonderful to see that others like me believe in fighting for your dreams.
Franny Armstrong-ParaNovelGirl
www.paranovelgirls.com
Multi-Published Author With Red Rose Publishing

[Theresa M. Moore]

@ ParaNovelGirl - that should be "Never give up, never surrender!" (Galaxy Quest).
Susan, I don't want to be rich and famous. Er... well, rich never hurt anyone. But I do want people to read my books, and thanks to "celebrities" (and I use the term loosely) they are being buried under a mass of vanity inspired, vapid and time-wasting books about their badly lived lives. The unfortunate thing is that there are too many people who take their guidance from those who have not even lived as long as they should before they begin writing, and as Gladys says, are poor role models for the rest of society. [Maybe I should paraphrase that to read "the rest of the U.S.", since most of them have never even been heard of in other countries.] Occasionally there are exceptions, like Bono, John Bon Jovi, and Brangelina. But you notice that they are a) all over thirty, and b) are actively trying to turn the world around using their performance revenues. And I would listen to Oprah over, say, Paris Hilton. Books have been both a blessing and a curse for me. At the one hand I enjoy writing tremendously. On the other, I must contend with a myriad of byzantine hurdles which make me want to give up writing altogether. I want people to read my books, but I must also earn a living from selling them. And I want to be able to provide for my retirement when the time comes. But if I have to compete with people who get it all because of their looks or their bad behavior, then the world is coming to an end, and no one will care when it actually does because of the ignorance and waste of an apathetic society focused on its bellybutton instead of the horizon.