Near Durban, in the Kwa-Zulu Natal province, there is a region called the Valley of 1000 Hills. From the bloody tyranny of King Shaka’s military genius as, immediately after his coronation in 1816, he set about subjugating all the different clans in the region, to the endurance and courage of the men and women who annually participate in the world-famous Comrades Marathon, this region has lifted its people to the heights of glory and then dropped them into the valleys of despair. Thus, the mystique of this region lies in its ability to seduce one with both its breath-taking beauty and its lurking dangers.
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| Six of Fire: Success Osho Zen Tarot |
When I leapt like The Fool into self-publishing, I knew I was taking a leap into an unknown world, full of both possibilities and risks. At times I felt as if I had a tiger by the tail. There was the challenge of dealing with the unexpected; the fear of inexperience and, at times, the feeling of being on top of the world when I briefly tamed the tiger.
I had two concrete goals when I started this journey: to brand myself and to break even financially. I could spend this post detailing all the ways I met the first goal and the long way I have to go before I meet the second.
But, instead, my conversations with the visitors who commented on the posts about the mistakes I made, have had an enlightening effect.
The successes I had over the past few months happened by chance. Who would’ve guessed that the making of my book trailer would have been so well received? I’d never done anything like it before, so it could equally have been a flop.
The failures I had also happened by chance. Who could have predicted my launch campaign would be a lead balloon? It could equally have taken flight.
And, as the intangible mystique of the Valley of 1000 Hills has been forged from aeons of both glorious victories and bloody losses, so the real success in this self-publishing venture can’t be quantified into lists of what I did wrong and what I did right.
This trial, this test that has been the last six months of my writing journey, has been a turning point. I have not yet reached my destination as a writer. I don’t even know what or where that destination is.
But I do know this: my success lies deep within me. I am free. I am content. I am where I want to be: a Published Author.
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