Saturday Success and Luck

I'm a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it.

Thomas Jefferson

My good friend Janet Elaine Smith (http://janetelainesmith.com ) and I were talking on the phone last night sharing events of the week. Our discussion led to the topic of how some writers never seem to be able to get their books sold while others appear to just be as lucky as hell.


Well, we concluded that luck doesn't have a thing to do with it unless you are the one making the luck. Sometimes it seems that we have been lucky but when we look more closely at the reality unless one acts upon one's world in an assertive and active manner, luck will not come to one's doorway. You can't even win the lottery if you don't buy a ticket.


The ticket to winning the lottery of success in one's work as a creative person in the arts is, of course, to first have talent. But talent doesn't mean diddly squat if you don't train your talent by constantly doing your art. A writer must write. A painter must paint. A musician must play. However, once you have created the product that is your art reality mandates that you must then become a master marketer.


The art of marketing requires some skills that many of those in the arts (and other professions) feel a lack. They wait upon that agent that will do the work for them. They wait upon that manna to drop from heaven and quench their hunger for success or fame. Waiting for luck without working for one's goals is as much a guarantee of failure as about anything else in life.


As an artist one must brand oneself. Some examples of branding of one's name is Oprah Winfrey, Martha Stewart, Doctor Phil, Picasso, Donald Trump, Janet Elaine Smith and Myriam Maytorena.


Yes you have that right - Myriam Maytorena From my first beginnings on the internet my goal was name identification. My products were the writings that I produced. Since I did that eight years ago I have received countless contracts for writing that came out of the blue. However, being a marketing mavin, I always ask how did you find me? The answer always was I did a search on the internet. What appeared as luck was actually my hard work over eight years building a reputation as a writer of metaphysical topics. As an artist your brand is your name and your name is your reputation for producing your art.

Beyond talent lie all the usual words: discipline, love, luck -- but, most of all, endurance.

James Arthur Baldwin American essayist, novelist, and playwright, 1924-1987

It is truly a combination of good luck and persistence plus being how to spell. This is a direct quote from my morning muse newsletter which I send out every morning. I will now tell you the next thing a successful writer needs: A Great Editor. That is why I love Janet as she is my editor and she does what any good editor does - she makes me look better.


The successful artist knows her limitations and the skills that she needs to develop. Luck has a lot to do with knowing how and where to find the people who can either make your product or service better. Luck in marketing your product means finding someone who can mentor you along the way to becoming your own marketing mavin. Janet has created Your Personal Marketing Plan where she does not do the work for you to achieve success but coaches you along the way and teaches you how to become the successful artist that you are meant to be. You will find it at http://janetelainesmith.com along with her Promo Pack which is a how-to-do it for published authors who want to depend on self rather than luck.

Until tomorrow....

Morning MuseMyriam Maytorena
http://myriamsmuse.blogspot.com/
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