The Fallout of Being Published

After discussing how friends/family do not take you seriously as you're writing your novel, a funny thing happens when you've completed it and finally find a publisher who does take you seriously. And it could be my imagination, but in all honesty, it seems as though there's a bit of jealousy going around.

People seem to think that once you become published you automatically get a large paycheck. While this is true in some cases (provided you're super lucky and have a commercial publisher pick you up), in most cases this does not happen. But, that doesn't mean you won't make any money.

The jealousy, I suppose, is well founded because when you write a novel and a publisher takes you on, you still have the opportunity to make serious money, whereas those friends of yours who never truly supported you and left you to dangle out there all on your own, stuck in your head while your sanity waned, will never have that opportunity. So even though odds are a big check isn't coming your way as soon as you sign a contract, you're still in the running for a big check to possibly find it's way to you some day.

Most novels take a while for the public to notice them. Many authors need to work at getting their novels out there via word of mouth, book signings, the internet, and other various, creative ways that involve making your brainchild known to the public.

Anyhow, it really just flat out sucks when the same friends who couldn't be bothered to help you by listening to your lamentations or to offer help in the form of advice during your writing period when you needed it most become some version of a jerk after you do finally become published because they aren't going to receive a piece of the pie. The sad thing is this:  I would have remembered anyone who had been there for me while I wrote my first novel. Unfortunately, no one was truly there for me with the exception of my husband, and he would have received the spoils anyway.

***Be careful how you treat people--you never know who they'll become later in life.