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I’ve been hesitant about approaching people who might be able to help me become succesful at this writing thing. Influential bloggers, succesful writers, etc..

And then I read these quotes by Will.i.am and Sir Tom. Sure, they’re talking about singers but the same thing applies for writers right? :D

The quotes:

Speaking at a launch event for the show, the 42-year-old said: “I’ve tried to keep in contact with the people that were on my team, but they are really polite.

“They say ‘I don’t want to bug you, I know you’re busy’, but if I was them I wouldn’t be that polite.
“Part of the reason why there’s no star is because people are just really polite.

“Folks that have careers have been really aggressive and they make sure they fight for the right songs… to do that you have to be a predator, and predators aren’t polite.

“They have to want this more than anything else. More so now than years ago because the competition is greater, and they have to be able to say ‘I’m going to make it and I’m going to do everything I possibly can to do it’.


Are you aggressive in the way you’re trying to become a succesful indie? Or do you think the above only works singers? :)

I think we have to be careful here. It's probably true that on average "aggressive" people get farther than "non-aggressive" people, but "doing whatever it takes" can be taken too far. If "doing whatever it takes" means doing the illegal or immoral, then it ceases to be a good thing. I also don't think being polite and being aggressive in pursuing one's goals are mutually exclusive. In my experience, people are more willing to work with you and help you if you treat them well than if you walk all over them. Probably the better word would be "persistent."

Well said, Dale. Now what's that quotation about 'gaining the whole world and losing your own soul'? Then there's another about it being 'lonely at the top'. So, Alexis, I think you're right to hesitate and to point this out. Success at any price is not for me.

I could market someone else's books better than I could market mine. As Alex points out, it's hard to find the confidence to market your own.

Yet the world owes a lot to those who have pursued success with persistence, say in medical developments. I'm not sure I'd like to meet an aggressive author though. Oh you've got me thinking and meandering around all over the place now.