Why Aren’t They Reading?

I ask myself this question almost every day as I log onto my Wattpad account. “Why aren’t they reading?” Isn’t my work good enough? Isn’t it interesting enough? Haven’t I worked hard enough promoting it?

When someone takes the time to read a chapter of my book, all they ever tell me is how good it is and how much they enjoyed it. Rarely have I received a  comment that degraded my book or even suggested things I need to change, save for a minuscule editing error that I missed. So, unless all of those people have been lying to me, I know I’m a decent writer with a decent book in the works.

And even though I tell myself all the time that I can do it, that I can push past those doubts and just write, I can’t help but question why more people aren’t reading my work. Good things naturally rise to the top. So if mine is good, why hasn’t it reached the top yet?

I read other books that are in number one and number two spots, and I can’t help but think that I’ve done a better job in my own book. My grammar is better, my spelling is better, and my plot is more original and well planned. I’m probably biased, but that’s how I feel when I scroll through those books. Yeah, they’re decent. And obviously, a lot of people like them. But they aren’t great. Some aren’t even good, if we’re being honest.

I just can’t help but doubt my abilities when I see that my book only has a couple hundred reads and it’s not within the hundred rankings for its designated genres. I know I shouldn’t doubt myself, that I should press on and finish the book, but it’s so hard to do when I’m constantly being remind that people who work half as hard as me can get millions of reads and thousands of votes on their stories. It just makes me wonder if maybe I’m not good enough to be a writer.

Anyway, I’m sure this is totally normal as a writer. But it’s difficult. Sometimes I want to give in and write the most cliche story I can think of and jam-pack it with terrible grammar just to see the response I’d get. How ironic would it be if that story floated straight to the top of the rankings? I’m not going to give in to that temptation, though. I’ll stick to my writing style. One day, my work will prevail, and I will be the author selling hundreds of books every day.

One day.

Too bad that day isn’t today. Guess that’s life.

Anybody else feel this way?

xx Ashley

Currently Listening To:

The beautiful sound of the computer keyboard tapping out my thoughts.

It’s Not Where You Go, It’s Who You’re With

You know that saying, right? “It’s not where you go, it’s who you’re with.” Anybody who’s gone on a vacation or a trip anywhere for any length of time knows how true that is. Think about it.

Picture this: you go on a week long vacation to see the Grand Canyon*–which would be really cool, by the way–and the group you’re with is quiet, has no personality, and doesn’t want to do anything fun. So the entire time you’re there, seeing amazing canyons and having the opportunity to do a lot of interesting things, you’re bored. And bored is something you shouldn’t be while on vacation.