Comment on Where there’s a will… by Arvid Lloyd Williams

Arvid Lloyd Williams — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 22:02:15 +0000

I hope it’s okay to post on here, but here goes
Hi Tarah.
I got into your web site and started reading your thoughts about writing and not writing. You seem to be in the same boat I’m in. I have four successful books published. Success in my world is starting something and FINISHING IT not the amount of toys you have. Success is being satisfied with what you’ve accomplished.
I found at the Hackensack book fair that I (we) have a true following with our (my) books. So realizing that, why the hell am I not diving into another one, and why didn’t I jump in right away while the last one was in the publishing process? I don’t have a real answer for that, it’s just one of those questions I ask myself every time someone asks, “When’s that next book coming out?” It got to the point that I wanted to tell them all to go to hell, I’m not writing anymore fucking books. Well, time has a way of changing our minds, doesn’t it.
I had a long conversation with a friend one day, hashing out different ideas and brain storming characters – you know the story. Anyway, I got a little worked up about it. Then she informed me that she’s moving back to Illinois. Well, that kind of took the wind from my sails and now, my motivation gone, I’m struggling with getting started again.
My second book won an Independent Publishers Association award and the third was nominated at the awards in Duluth. I didn’t get the one in Duluth because one of the judges said, “clichés abound”. There were no Clichés in that book. It’s probably a good thing they didn’t let us meet the judges. I was kinda pissed. Not that I didn’t win the award but because of that comment. That was one of the things I was very firm about when writing the book. The gal I had working with me (The one with me at Hack) wanted to use them all the frickin time. I said “NO”. But, like with your book, they had people reading and judging them who had no idea what the book was about. Here’s what kicked my ass. The guy who won the award had a book that was very poorly edited with some ridiculous historical and geographical mistakes.
My publisher wanted to enter my last book, the one you got, in some awards programs. I declined because I am very sensitive to negative criticism. If some one says, I don’t like that line it can ruin my whole day. Now I tell them, “Don’t read the fucking book then. Go buy some comic books, they might be more suited to your mentality.”
I have several books I’ve gotten from different authors in trade that were so poorly done and didn’t even bother finishing then.
Now that winter is here I’m thinking I’m going to start that next book. I know, all I have to do is sit down, do my formatting in the word program and start. As you can see, I do like to write, and I think I have the talent, so what a shame it would be to let that go without giving it everything I’ve got.
I’m on the last three or four pages of your last book, Embraced by Darkness. I read it through and enjoyed it very much. You have one hell of an imagination. My books are mostly taken from historical fact so all I have to do is add conversation.
I tell people, If you want to write a book to get rich, forget it. If you want to write a book to prove to yourself you can do it, that might work. If you want to get a book published just to get rid of a lot of accumulated cash, you’re on the right track.
Granted, I’m a lousy salesman. I can’t sell my books. I couldn’t sell water in the desert. People say, “You gotta get out there and SELL.” I can’t sell. And I can’t get up in front of people to give talks one the subject of my books. And I don’t have enough money to advertise. So I let the books sell themselves and I’m kinda broke.
Writing ain’t for the weak.

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