Humbly Bragging

Humility is probably the quality that I like to see the most in another person and I personally don’t like to brag or boast about my accomplishments; it feels uncomfortable to me. I know there are some great writers out there, but I try not to compare myself to others. I have found this WordPress community to be a supportive environment and I am genuinely happy for others’ achievements. In that respect, I hope to continue to receive the same support. So, now that I’ve tried to make myself look like a humble person, let the bragging begin. Just kidding. I’d like to share a few of my recent achievements (and there is a point to this besides being boastful):

2,000+ LinkedIn Connections

This achievement represents marketability. Most of the people I’ve met on LinkedIn are not individuals that I know personally. They work in the same field or a related one, they want my business as a customer, or they feel that we can have a mutually beneficial business relationship. Their willingness to connect shows that I have represented myself in a somewhat appealing manner and established a connection with a stranger.

400 WordPress Followers

This achievement represents, in a way, trust. Some people began following my blog just because I invited them. Some people follow because I follow them. Then there are others who follow because they like what they read and want to see more of the same. They could easily “un-follow” if my writing did not meet or exceed their expectations. So, their continued support shows that they trust me to produce content that is meaningful, or at least enjoyable in some way. I try my best to produce evidence that justifies their faith.

LIKES

This achievement represents validation. Whether a follower or not, there are individuals out there who like the things I have written. I enjoy writing a great deal, and much of that enjoyment comes from seeing/hearing/reading how much other people are entertained by what I have written. I have said many times that my goal with anything that I write is to evoke emotion. I want to move the reader in some way, to cause them to think, question, feel something.

I Published A Book

This represents so many things–among them: hard work, dedication, time, thought, trial and error. Simply having a book published is no great accomplishment. Anyone can do it through Amazon, and there are many companies that will be happy to take your money to print copies of your work, whether it’s good or not. To get into a traditional publishing company, however, does take some talent and maybe a bit of luck.

You’d think with so many connections, a decent amount of followers and people that like my writing, I should have no problem selling books. Not so. It may not be the type of book you like to read or maybe you are low on funds. I’m not a New York Times best-selling author (yet), so my book is not in the faces of readers. I have to work hard to promote, advertise, promote, annoy my friends and family, promote, post….did I mention promote? I don’t need for you to buy the hardcover version (which is the most expensive), but I’d like to get the book ranked higher in popularity. I want to get my name out there, to get noticed, and yes, eventually, to be able to make a living as a writer.

If you are able, and you like what I write, please take a chance and buy the book. The ebook is only $3.99. And if you buy it, a review would help tremendously. I’m not sure if everyone is aware, but Amazon’s rankings are contingent on the amount of reviews a book receives as well as the number sold. Even if you don’t like it, I would love to know what you think of it. I am truly open to critique, as long as it isn’t malicious. Criticism helps me to improve, and everyone can use improvement on his or her craft, including me. I would truly appreciate your support in this effort. On that note, I will end this post, and on the subject of critique, please leave a comment to let me know what you think of this post. As always, I thank you for taking the time to read my blog.