When I describe what it’s like to be an author working to promote my writing, I often compare myself to an independent musician selling CDS out of my trunk. You keep putting yourself out there, hoping to reach people, knowing some won’t pay attention, some will boo and a few will get it. And a few of the few who get it will buy what you have to offer.
It can be frustrating and disheartening. It can cause you to rethink your life’s goals. (Happens to me about once a week. Most days, I go do something else for a few hours and then pull myself back together and start again.) And it will also cause you to re-evaluate your definition of success.
Last night I got the chance to watch a dear friend of mine play and sing. Watching Jean Hanna Davis interact with her fellow musicians (Stan Bumgardner, Paul Greco and Scotty, a guitarist I don’t know) I was amused and impressed at how quickly they fell into playing. After a few minutes of chit-chat, they got to it. They had played together from time to time, but not recently. Still, all talented musicians, they said “Do you know…?” and off they would go. They followed. They led. They had fun. I’m sure there were mistakes. But, they didn’t seem to care and I didn’t hear them.
Watching them play and sing, I realized a definite difference between musicians and writers. We may hawk our art in similar ways, but where writing tends to be a solitary experience, music is best when performed in a group. Writers can support each other, but it is much more difficult to be collaborative.
I’m sure every one of them has dreams of making it “big”, getting a recording contract and playing to packed houses. Everyone has those dreams. But what I saw watching the foursome go from one song to the next was the joy of playing music. They performed for a small audience and had a blast. They played for themselves as much as anything else.
While I often compare myself to the musicians from the business side of the equation, I realize I need to spend more time on the “joy” of creating. Recently I wrote about my changing definition of success. I’m learning, and adjusting to the idea, that success is enjoying what you do and doing it for that reason alone. Everyone says that when you enjoy what you do, it shows, people notice that and that is when success begins. I always thought that meant that if you worked hard enough that the career would take off and you would make a mint. I’m beginning to realize that if you enjoy what you do and do it for the pure joy of doing it, that IS success. The rest is just details.
Check out a couple songs I recorded on my phone last night. The video is crappy, but the sound is pretty good.