Posts by Terah Shelton Harris

In my previous post for Writer Unboxed, I wrote about defining success, prompted by a friend’s question about my first book: Was your book successful?” I examined how success can be defined differently and how it varies from writer to writer. But since then, I’ve come to realize that my exploration of the topic wasn’t quite complete.

In the year since my debut, I’ve learned a hard truth: The metrics I once considered indicative of success didn’t turn out to be as significant as I originally thought. Despite not achieving many of the lofty goals I had envisioned, such as signing with a dream agent, securing a six-figure book deal, making the New York Times bestseller list, or receiving a star review, I’ve discovered that success can manifest in unexpected ways.

Success Might Come Later

Like many aspiring writers, I had a list of dream agents. Due to the uniqueness of my situation (I received a book deal before I signed with an agent), I had numerous offers from agents, one of which was my dream agent. Or so I thought. This dream agent represented a few of my favorite writers and worked at a large New York based agency. However, when given the opportunity to speak with them, I quickly learned that their vision for my book did not align with mine. In fact, an edit was suggested that I did not only disagree with but was a major deal-breaker for me. My dream agent wasn’t so dreamy after all.

Instead, I signed with an agent who wasn’t on my initial dream list. Yet, she has become my biggest advocate. She is now my dream agent, not because she sounds good on paper or works at a splashy agency, but because she supports me through revisions, provides encouragement during deadlines, and has negotiated two major deals. I can’t imagine navigating publishing without her. Writers, it’s okay if you sign with a smaller or a lesser-known agent. The right agent might not always match the fantasy you’ve envisioned, but they can be a perfect fit in ways you didn’t anticipate.

It should come as no surprise as a debut author that I did not sign a six-figure book deal. Far from it. However, I recently signed a six-figure book deal for my next two books, negotiated by my agent who is now truly my dream agent. Writers, don’t be discouraged if you don’t achieve your goals right away, success might arrive later than expected. 

Success Might Not Be Immediately Apparent

I’m aware that I’m not a widely known author yet. In fact, most of you reading this article probably have never heard of me or read any of my books. And you know what? That’s okay. Because it proves my point. You don’t know me because I have not made the New York Times bestseller lists. I have not been nominated nor won any major publishing awards. The truth is, the success of my books isn’t immediately visible.

A study by EPJ Date Science showed that of the 100,000 new hardcover books published annually, fewer than 500 make it on to The New York Times Best Seller list (0.5 percent). Many novels (26 percent) appear on the list for only one week and achieving such a […]

A few months ago, as the buzz around my debut novel, One Summer In Savannah, began dying down, a question posed to me by a friend really rocked me to my core. “Was your book successful?”

I opened my mouth to speak but no words materialized. I snapped it shut and opened it again. This time, the words came out all at once. “Yeah…I think…sure. I don’t know.”

I had not given much thought to the question. For me, or so I thought, my debut was successful the moment I typed the last word, and, later, signed a two-book deal with Sourcebooks. Writing books is hard. It has been said 97% of people who start a book never finish it. I had finished writing a book and that landed me in a rare category of writers. That’s something to celebrate, right? And it was published! That had to account for something.

Except…I wasn’t so sure anymore. Yes, technically, a book is a success if you wrote it, and it was published, and people read it. So, why did I stumble to answer the question?

After much thought, the answer was simple: I kept moving the goalposts. It was no longer enough that I wrote the book or published it. I needed something else to reach for and achieve. I had never drawn a line in the sand. I had never defined my definition of success. But what was it?

I realized I struggled with the question because I had not yet answered another one: What’s the best measurement of success?

For me, and I can imagine for so many other writers, it’s making a list, notably the New York Times bestsellers list. But is that goal achievable? According to an EPJ Data Science study that used big data to analyze every New York Times bestselling book from 2008 to 2016, of the 100,000 new, hardcover print books published each year, fewer than 500 make it on to The New York Times bestseller list (0.5 percent). My book was not one of them. Does that mean it wasn’t successful? Am I the only writer who has struggled with this question?

As a published writer, how do you define success?

That’s the question I posed to myself and two of my writing besties, Jason Powell, author of No Man’s Ghost, and Meagan Church, bestselling author of The Girls We Sent Away. Their answers, as well as mine, truly surprised me.

There are thousands of authors who never get their books in front of audiences. And thousands more who do, but never get any acclaim, Powell says. He believes it’s a cliché to tell an author that just being published is a victory and a mark of success if that author doesn’t yet feel accomplished. And some may feel a sense of accomplishment for having finished a book they felt comfortable sending out, because that was their goal.

“Make a list, no matter if it’s one item long or a hundred. I think even if one of those things is checked off, you’re a success,” he said.

Powell says his book is successful because people he didn’t send it to have read it. “It’s a weird feeling opening up something you’ve created to public opinion, but not a totally […]