So says Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s iconic detective Sherlock Holmes. And indeed it is.
In many things in our lives. persistence is often the key to success. How many times have we given up on things too soon? Think about sports teams who when faced with lop-sided scores against them have thrown in the towel rather than continue to fight. Then think about those teams when confronted with similar situations, endured and ultimately prevailed. Which ones do you think get the movies made about them?
A definition of persistence is as follows: Refusing to give up or let go; persevering obstinately.
A definition of stubborn: Refusing to change one’s mind or course of action despite pressure to do so; unyielding or resolute.
Those who know me well will attest to my persistence. If I had a family crest it would probably feature a dog with a bone, unwilling to give it up.
And those same people know when I believe in a project, I become resolute in its pursuit. Foolish? Perhaps. But why?
In publishing and marketing a book, one must be either or both. Getting the book out there is not enough. While writing the book is perhaps more time consuming, it is in comparison far more enjoyable. But the effort put into that is wasted if commensurate industry is not committed to its marketing. Most authors I know want people to read what they’ve written. How can that happen if no one knows about it?
Media must be contacted ( incessantly?) and sold on the book’s premise and why it’s significant enough for them to commit time and/or space to it. Outlets need to be influenced in order for them to see the value in the book’s placement. It can’t be a one and done enterprise. Reviews, good or bad, need to be solicited. From the outside, it may appear to be small steps and yes, that is exactly what they are. But with enough small steps, you’ve built a staircase whose height is unlimited.
The game is afoot. Just take one step at a time and see where it takes you.
Bruce Meisterman 