I write because I have stories I want to tell. I enjoy it. But when I make something I’ve written public; on this blog, on my website or for sale through Amazon and other retail outlets, there’s always a moment of hesitation. Will people read it? Will anyone like it? I’ll hit the refresh button over and over to see if anyone is reading what I’ve just posted.
That feeling can become an excuse to go back and review or rewrite endlessly. Sometimes it’s tough to break the cycle. You never want to say something is finished because you’re afraid of failing. If you keep it up long enough, you get used to that feeling and learn that you just have to lay it out there. I don’t write stories so they will sit on my computer hard drive backup (the modern equivalent of a desk drawer). The only way to get over that feeling of hesitation is to publish things. You have to lay it out there and learn from the responses and frankly, you learn more from the bad reviews than you do from the good.
That said, you have to take negative reviews with a grain of salt. My favorite negative review said of Cayman Cowboys that the “plot line was uninteresting and the prose is tepid”. It’s still on Amazon if you want to read it. When I first read that review, I was upset and concerned. Was my writing really tepid?
Later, with a little distance on it, I realized that review told me nothing. It also occurred to me that when a person critiques an adventure novel with a phrase like “the prose is tepid”, they are either expecting an entirely different style of writing or trying to impress someone with their own writing. Either way, I came to realize that you can’t please everyone and you shouldn’t really try. I’ve read (or attempted to read) best sellers that I put down after 50 pages because I thought they were terrible. That’s the nature of creating things.
In 2012, I released three new stories: a short story, a children’s story and a novel. I’ve been pleased with the reviews and the responses I’ve gotten. Of course, I’m sure there are some people who viewed them as a waste of their time and that’s fine.
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read!November 6, 2012
Wreck of the Huron is the fourth Mike Scott Adventure. It was good and makes me think I should go back and read the first three. Mike and his cohorts are great characters. But what really makes this fast-paced thriller special is the use of diving knowledge, sunken treasure, and a historical ship wreck – USS Huron that went down 1877 off the coast of North Carolina. The fictional treasure and conspiracy that leads to the sinking of the Huron makes for a great ride for the reader. It’s the “what if” that we all love.
Pam Stebbins
5.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining & InterestingNovember 9, 2012
Another easy to read story from a great scuba diving novel author: it’s entertaining and also interesting! In fact, although it is listed as a story for kids… You’ll find it fun to read as well!
Darcy Kieran
5.0 out of 5 starsAdventures in paradise, August 10, 2012
Another easy to read story from a great scuba diving novel author: it’s entertaining and also interesting! In fact, although it is listed as a story for kids… You’ll find it fun to read as well!
Tim Waldo
I welcome all reviews for my books and encourage everyone who reads my books to write one.