Control is one of the hardest things for me to let go of. I like being able to control things. Not in an evil dictator sort of way but in a way that means I know what is going to happen. You do X task and y happens. I want a simple formula that works with known results.

So why in the world do I write, right?

Writing is one of the fiels where you have the least amount of control. I cannot garuntee anything. I can't control how well a book sells or if a publisher or agent likes my work. I can't control the number of five star reviews or how many people give a book a bad review. I can't control what the markets will do or what the next hot genre will be with 100% accuracy.

At times it is incredibly frustrating and difficult at times. It makes it hard to really decide what to work on at times. It's easy to get lost in the 'nothing I do really matters, so what bother' kind of nihilism.

What I have found helps is to focus on what I can control, however small that might be.

I can control my writing, showing up for the work on getting words onto the page. I can control the time I spend staring at social media and doubting myself. I can control how much time I spend being inspired by other creative work. I can control how I am taking care of myself (and the answer to that question is usually very poorly. I am working to get better at self-care.)

What matters is that I am turning my focus to the things I can do, not what is totally outside of my control. I can't change Amazon adjusting the way royalty rates are handled or that another writer is able to easily create 10,000 words a day. What I can and must focus on are the things that I can do.

Look small and focused on where you can make an impact and start there.