Continuing my “If Mesh Takes Off” – Author Success Wish List discussion from last week. I put some more thought into this and here are some more details about how life would be different for me when my novel hits the big time. These aren’t shopping lists, as you’ll quickly find out. More like guiding principles. Here is what I have so far:
Live Simply, So That Others May Simply Live
The terrifying part of wealth and fame is how it transforms people into their worst selves. You think you’re escaping the prison of poverty only to find yourself in the penitentiary of prosperity. Money changes you, and it changes how people see you. Unknown pressures, and unseen stresses can break people under the best circumstances. Under the worst, they become those craven, cold-hearted souls you see on reality TV.
have no interest in that, which is why my life plans are about staying grounded; living simply. Just because you can buy something doesn’t mean you can afford it. Think about guys like Mike Tyson, or MC Hammer. For me, they represent teachable moments. As Jim Carrey is famous for saying, “I think everybody should get rich and famous and do everything they ever dreamed of so they can see that it’s not the answer.”
So yes, living simply. A living space that has room for a cozy reading nook and a place for my cats to sleep. Yes, my life will still need to include the people who are important to me now. That means Mason and Bandit are coming along for the ride, wherever we go. You may be aware that cats are completely uninterested in the idea of large, complicated houses. Our little universe is just fine for them, upgrading would cause them stress and nobody likes the smell of cat pee.
Help Others
My therapist told me a while back that, while I’m limited in what I can do because of my circumstances, I should try to find a way to help other people because it brings me joy. I’m happy to say that the Blog has already helped other young authors and I hope that it will continue to do so in the future.
Listen to the Wind Blow
Finally, whatever happens in my life I want to make sure I have the time and space to listen to the wind blow. Writing is about distilling life experiences into things you can share with others. Few people can relate to a story about traveling with Dr. Phil in Monaco (Thank you, Ron White, but no thank you). So, I’ll need to continue being my anonymous, private self so that I can continue taking in the life experiences I use in the stories I tell.
So that wraps up my “If Mesh Takes Off” – author success wish list. I hope you take the time to think of your own success map, what you’ll do with fortune when you find it. There’s nothing better than seeing the benefit of your hard work, and my hope is that Mesh will be that moment for me, and also for you.