Success Or Failure in Life - What Makes the Difference?

If we are honest with you, how could I possiblyknow it? Shall we try to prove that humanity can
be smart enough or wise enough to give you andindeed do this? No, because the proving would kill
me one of THE BIG SECRETS IN LIFE?the scientists as well. No one wants such
How can anyone know what THE SECRET is?pragmatic knowledge at such a great price!!!
Yet, let's take a shot at it. First, may I be boldCan we then in a lesser field prove what makes
enough to say that almost nobody under seventyfor a successful novel?
knows what THE SECRET is. Fortunately, I amDo the successful novelists know what makes for
over seventy!!!their success in writing novels that sell?
All kidding aside, what is the SECRET BETWEENDoes Danielle Steele know consciously what sells
SUCCESS AND FAILURE?her novels? Has she told anyone? What is her
Let us start with a premise: You have to look atgreat secret of effectiveness, for she is the
the character of a person to evaluate whethermost successful living author on earth with over
they know A SECRET OF LIFE OR NOT. Are500 million of her books sold. Yes, I read that as
they:a fact somewhere, and I believe it, having
- developed beings, integrated and whole?analyzed one of her books.
- do they exploit others by lying to them or sellingNot only does Danielle Steele write exciting books
them a job?but she has THE SECRET. It is not what current
- do they prove they are successful by leadingNew Age Sales People try to tell you THE
integrated lives?SECRET IS, which seems to be, THINK POSITIVE
- to they practice what they preach and haveAND YOU WILL DRAW POSITIVE ENERGY TO
positive results?YOU.
- in their own sphere of influence with those theyThe secret for the successful novelist is:
know to they make a positive contribution toCRAFT: CRAFT! CRAFT! CRAFT!
their lives?Not talent alone. Not writing good sentences. Not
- do those who claim to have THE SECRET alsohaving a great writer's imagination only. Not being
deal effectively with the NEGATIVES of life, THEa celebrity and that is what sells your books. Not
GREAT TESTOR? You can make your own list.having media publicity and so that makes you a
These are the guidelines I have used in my lifebest-seller writer.
developing myself and interacting with otherCRAFT SELLS BOOKS.
people of note.CRAFT IS THE SECRET OF EFFECTIVENESS IN
Shall we add one more? Let's!THE NOVEL WRITING BUSINESS.
ARE THE PEOPLE WHO PROCLAIM THE SECRETThat's how we see it from this end. I have a
MAKING A LOT OF MONEY OFF OF OTHERuniversity masters in English Literature, and
PEOPLE BY PROCLAIMING THEIR SECRET?another one in Psychology, but neither university
Are they using money and prosperity as a chieftaught me how to write novels. They taught me
measure to you that their secret works?how to analyze novels. They taught me how to
Here's the flaw in such reasoning.analyze people, not how to construct great
A true to reality life principle works because it ischaracters.
effective. Does your Proclaimed Secret make lot'sYet now the world is different in the new
of money for the few or for the many who buycentury. There are a lot of writing craft courses
your hype and your product? Being successful forand books out there. We have utilized a lot of the
the few is just by chance out of the many. Abest in making our huge collection of over 2000
few make it and many don't. It's just like the guruwriting tools and helps. We did it to learn how to
phenom. The guru makes it and buys Rollswrite effective novels ourselves. We pass on to
Royce's. The followers remain poor andyou, also a writer, the same writing craft tools
inadequate sinners while the guru or pope is seenand prompts that we are using ourselves to
as glorious and realized. The One and The Manyimprove and make dramatically effective our own
again. Don't think that because a few looknovels and other things we do like articles and
successful that the many will also who alsopodcasts.
practice THE SECRET.CRAFT KNOWLEDGE USE IS THE SECRET OF
THE SECRET IS EFFECTIVENESS IN LIFE!EFFECTIVENESS IN WRITING A SUCCESSFUL
Did you know that? It's my secret. When I was inNOVEL.
school and university I could almost always getDon't believe me. You want to just sit down and
the highest grades when I wanted to and studiedwrite, like one editor at the Writer's Digest Forum
hard enough. It was fun. It made me feelmaintains? Well, go ahead, do it your way. You will
important. It gave me a sense of ego, that I amdo it your way, anyway. But if you want to
different and better than the rest of them.become effective as a writer and stand half a
For some strange and evil reason school systemschance at success, you will learn your craft from
foster this approach by giving better grades tobeginning to end.
the few over the many. They foster competitionBe sure and study well the fifty leading writing
and egocentricity. It took me awhile to realize thatcraft books that I have. Be sure and take some
getting the best grades was a false measure ofcreative writing courses to see how little the
life. School and the educational system is not theinstructors know about writing. Read and analyze
real world. The academics who run that systemall the great novels you want to, and still fail to
are in retreat from the real world, unless anunderstand how to write an effective novel. Mine
occasional professor gets out there and inventsthe blogs on creative writing and drown in the
useful things and services that working peopleideas of failure express there by so many people.
truly need to better their lives.No, yes, if you want success, make sure your
If you can be EFFECTIVE in life in various wayswriting at its final stage is effective writing. If it
then you put your mouth where your words are.does not demand to be read by readers then it is
Do your words fall on shallow ground, like thenot effective writing and it will never be read
educational system of artificial rewards andbecause you DON'T HAVE A GOOD STORY, and
punishments? Or do your words fall on fertileYOU DO NOT USE EFFECTIVE CRAFT
ground of hard work, commitment to excellenceKNOWLEDGE TO TELL YOUR STORY.
and positive results for the whole team and notI have 100,000 words of my novel. I have
just its leaders?350,000 books sold in eight languages. I have one
This is a general essay about the quality of lifea best seller, The Dream Cards, at 110,000 copies
and how to live its real issues and solve themsold in eight languages around the world. This is no
positively. Now we take the focus to writing as abragging. This is reality testing. I am trying to
serious endeavor.write well because I love writing and because I
WRITING THE NOVEL OR SCREEN PLAY ANDwant to be successful in real terms at it.
SUCCEEDING AT ITMy latest research? It is my podcasts which got
We can give you no magic formula here but we63,000 listeners in the first year. During that same
can take a strong position in the right directiontime the podcasts that got me the most listeners
that has worked for us.was the Prologue to my Jesus Novel at around
THE SECRET IS EFFECTIVENESS IN LIFE AND IN4000 listeners. A number of other podcasts are
WRITINGalmost up there with this number, such as my
We don't care so much what you have to do toLoving Laurie podcast.
get there, but you should do almost all yourYet the top one is The Prologue To The Jesus
actions to problem-solve effectively.Novel. I put it there to get response, to test the
YOU MUST PROBLEM-SOLVE REAL PROBLEMSmarket. I put this podcast out in two parts to get
AND CREATE PRODUCTS AND VALUES OFpublic response from strangers. Could I gauge the
EXCELLENCE TO PROVE EFFECTIVENESS INinterest in the subject matter, and would people
LIFE.actually listen in large numbers?
THE SECRET IS EFFECTIVENESS.This is the testing of EFFECTIVENESS.
Effectiveness is when what happens consistentlyEFFECTIVENESS FOR A WRITER IS GREAT
is what we intend to happen. When the scientistsSTORY WEDDED TO GREAT CRAFT IN
produced the first atomic bomb they were notWRITING IT.
sure from their physics knowledge what wouldWe stand behind our comprehensive collection of
actually happen. Would the chain reaction ofwriting craft tools. We were astounded that only
splitting atoms form a reaction in all matter andone writing craft book had a large collection of
almost instantly destroy the world? Or would thewriting tools and the others didn't. We were
bomb explosion be localized to only the radioactiveastounded that our writing course instructors did
materials in the bomb itself. The bomb workednot give us writing tools but simply readings from
and now physics as a valid body of truth isnovels and memoirs to comment on, and also
confirmed forever. It is not just theoretical butmade banal comments on our own work. Ho-Hum!
practical. The scientists produced what theyIf you want EFFECTIVENESS in life, learn the
intended to produce.necessary craft that goes with your field. If you
In any field, ask how can you become effectivewant to be a successful lover, don't just go for
and solve at least some of the problems in thatexperiences. Go for quality. Go for excellence.
field?Learn from the best teachers who know their
In writing the novel it is the same situation as inlove craft. Learn! Problem-Solve! Create Excellence.
physics. Can we produce the bomb? Can weTo do this you have to be effective in life, do
create something that can almost instantly killyou not?
millions of people and end life on earth as weWe wish you all the success possible to you in life!