Do People Just Quit?

When aspiring writers don't find a publisher, or even an agent, at what point do they quit? Sure many go the self-publishing route, which might be the last resort. And I suppose it's better than quitting. But maybe some people are like me in the sense that they refuse to go the self-publishing route. And I've noticed a couple people who, not only don't blog anymore, but have eliminated their Google accounts altogether.

One of those was the very first "follower" of this blog. She was an aspiring writer of historical fiction. She expressed interest in my own historical novel, JOHN DUNN when I was writing it. But she has disappeared.

You don't need a blog, per se, to follow a blog, but I think you at least need a Google account, and I think hers has discontinued. And there is one other person who has disappeared, too. It's somewhat saddening to me. It makes me reflect on the times when I was finding it near impossible to find a publisher. Even when I had an agent.

But I didn't quit. Even when my agent(s) quit on me. I found publishers. First for THE VASE, and then for KILLER OF KILLERS. OK, the situation on THE VASE has been chronicled. But the publication of KILLER OF KILLERS is imminent. Hooray.

And what did it take? Well, yeah, it took a great story, and great characters, but it also took perseverance. And endurance. And hard work. I don't doubt my two "friends" put in a lot of hard work. And I'm sure they persevered to a great extent. But everyone has a limit when it comes to endurance, no matter what it is you're talking about. You can only take so much of anything before there comes a limit to how much more you can take. Of anything. And frustration is surely a trying element.

I hope they just got bored of my blog and did not quit trying to get published. Rather they quit this blog than their aspirations. It's too bad even if that's the case. I read their blogs, and I found their writing to be good. I wanted to read their works. Now, it seems, I won't be able to, because their blogs are inaccessible or nonexistent. Which makes me think they are no longer seeking publication.

Because blogs are the first step to forming your "platform." And it is your "platform" from which you promote your work. Often, the author is the first in the marketing of his/her books. Without the blog, I think, that first step is gone. But what do I know. For all I know they got published and quit blogging for other reasons. I wish them good luck in any event.