"There are two types of people in this world..."
From that point the phrase generally includes a pair of polar opposites!
Examples include:
- There are two types of people in this world, those who act and those who watch...
- There are two types of people in this world, successful ones and losers...
Despite the fact that this type of statement is "catchy" and cliche...more often than not...it is simply an epiphany of the utterly obvious (in other words...useless)...
I have found that even the most self-evident observations can set the stage for success!
They can be, however, used as foundational statements from which great things can grow!
For those who are willing to think...
AND
act...
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Let's shift gears for a moment and slightly alter this phrase to our benefit...
There are two types of AUTHORS in this world...
successful ones...
and...
ones whose dreams and aspirations never come to fruuition...
Why?
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Shifting gears!
This is the inaugural post to a blog with hopefully regular and a wide spread readership...
Let me divert for a moment... (I will do this periodically)
I have a myriad of topics that I will post...if the demand for them is high enough and consistent!
I am not going to waste my time writing to a nonexistent group of followers...
This means that I will share my learnings and experience (and those of others that I have gleaned) if...
The list of followers is large and the regular readership is constantly growing...
The role that you play in this equation is to:
1 - Sign-up as a "Follower" You can remain anonymous if you so choose...
2 - "Retweet" or "FB Share" the links with your Friends...
3 - Tell others to join in with us!
Three simple activities that will turn this into a great place to learn about taking your writing career to the next level or higher!
You have to take action to get what you want and need!
"Enough said" about that!
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Back on topic!
There are two types of authors in this world... ...successful ones and unsuccessful ones!
DUH!
This was what I was referring to...when I called these types of phrases "epiphanies of the utterly obvious!"
Reading your mind...I bet you are thinking, "Tell me something that I don't already know!"
The reason that you are here is that you desire to reside in the more elite and smaller category of "Successful Authors."
Based upon this fact alone, you may (or may not) have what it takes to become one of the select few!
Why did I say "may or may not?"
Because there are two types of authors in this world...those who desire success and those who are willing to do what it takes to be successful...
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If you haven't already caught it...
We will frequently be using this phrase structure as a tool to guide us to meaningful and significant epiphanies!
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As we delve into these "bi-polar" dichotomies we will also not simply fixate on one side of the equation or the other.
We will address, "what to do" and "what not to do."
I have heard many aspiring authors complain, " I have done everything they told me to do and I still am not selling my book..."
Here in lies the first REAL epiphany!
One must realize that there is no "they."
It is you!
ALL YOU!
You may be doing everything right...but may also be doing some things that are building barriers to your success...
There is no forgiveness in the publishing profession!
It is tenuous at best!
One mistake...one bad behavior and an author is forever labeled!
The lesson for us to learn is that it is as much about what you do as what you don't do!
I realize that this sounds and actually,"is" rather ethereal...
Allow me to cite a specific behavior that some unsuccessful authors exhibit that we must avoid...
Many authors are labeled as "finicky"
This means that they exhibit "pushy and unreasonable" demands upon their editors and publishers.
They act as if they are the only author that a publisher has...and demand special attention...
The fact of the matter is...all but a select few authors deserve that type of attention...
Unless you are a absolutely consistent "NYT Best Selling" author...you can not demand special attention!
Editors and publishers can quickly identify that behavior...(this one is obvious) and they react consciously or sub-consciously to those set of behaviors...
When they cringe at the site of another email from you or a "phone call on line 2"
...you can rest assured that you are in the class of authors that have built a barrier to success...
There are two types of authors...those who build barriers to their success and those who work to knock them down...through cooperation and effort!
I was talking with an aspiring author who complained that they paid $300 for a comprehensive marketing package and they deserve special attention!
My response was that you get what you pay for... Great marketing campaigns cost tens of thousands of dollars...
$300 is the equivalent of a few good marketer minutes!
When he went on to tell me what he got...I found that the list of services was comprehensive...worth significantly more than the $300! He should count himself lucky!
My guess was that this marketing firm was able to provide the services through large numbers of similar clients...providing a standardized package of offerings...efficiently and effectively...
"You are one in an ocean of authors getting these service...be thankful for what you have and take their advice, follow their directions..."
He did not...he believed that his $300 gave him the right to special treatment...he believed that he was entitled to it... and just complained and complained and complained...
Brick by brick...comment by comment...complaint by complaint...phone call by phone call...email be email...he build a barrier to his success!
Weeks later...we met for coffee...he reported that his firm has stopped answering his email and returning calls...
His marketer was simply reacting to his demands with a universal response any living organism...
To avoid pain!
I believe that he got from the marketer what he paid...
When they met their contractual obligations...
They were done with him...
...and from their perspective, any further contact was unbearably painful...
He built a barrier to his success that may be insurmountable...
By the way...at last report...he has sold 119 books in the past year!
He continues to sit and blame it on "THEM" even though "THEY" do not exist any longer...
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Author Success begins with the realization that as an author you are not special or entitled to anything!
It is earned!
By what you do and what you DO NOT do!
Successful authors, in fact, behave with gratitude...
Editors and publishers respond positively with cooperative authors and go the extra mile with those who go above and beyond!
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There are two types of authors in this world...those who are successful and those who demand success as an entitlement...as a rite of a mis-perceived title...
Enough Said!
