It's a hard truth, and it's very tempting to try and hide behind someone's back. Blame someone else for your shortcomings as a writer (note: you're the one who thinks they're shortcomings). Blame the industry as a whole. Whine about lack of time, lack of money. Complain that no one buys your books, or not enough people do. Seek out someone out there who seems like they know what they're doing, and then, if luck has it that they respond, blindly throw yourself into doing everything they tell you to do. Think you've found your guru. Your guide. Your answer to all your troubles.
(Dare I presume some of you reading this at one point or another thought the same about me? Like I know what I'm doing? The truth is: I DO NOT. I learn as I go, just like you.)
The truth is, once again, no one out there knows what they're doing. They're all very good (some better than others) at pretending. Keeping their shit together. Appear pro.
And the other truth is, NO ONE WILL DO IT FOR YOU.
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