I find the space between here and there frequently disconcerting.
I chose to pursue my art. Thus, I am writing full-time and recording/editing the audiobooks of one of my sci-fi series.
This has been my dream for a long, long time now. After various fits and starts to make this happen, I am finally moving at full speed ahead to write and publish multiple books.
Thus far, I’ve published three books in 2021. Three more are coming – one each in August, October, and November.
In August, it will be book 3 of Forgotten Fodder – Unraveling Conspiracy. In October, book 4 of The Void Incursion – Antipositional Moves. In November, the 4th and final book (in this plotline) of Forgotten Fodder – Bold Moves. Thus, six books in a year.
Presently, for 2022, I’ve plotted the 5th and final Void Incursion novel – Check and Mate – and 4 books in a new story arc for Forgotten Fodder. I’ve also plotted the first book in a new sci-fi series called Savagespace. And I will be putting out the 3rd novel of The Source Chronicles – Harbinger.
As such, not counting my nonfiction, I have a catalog of 10 sci-fi and fantasy novels. Thirteen books total by the end of this year.
This is where I am at here. So, what’s is the “there” in question?
The disconcerting space between here and there is the question of earning a living selling my novels. Since I believe that quantity and quality are synonymous in my work – what else will it take besides a decent catalog to get me to the point of sufficient sales?
Or, not to put too fine a point on it – monetary sustainability.
A matter of both faith and control
When it comes to moving between here and there, it is both a matter of faith and control.
Why both? Because I can do nothing about getting people to buy my books. Specifically, I cannot control their will and desire to buy, read, and review my work. And that is where faith comes in.
Specifically, I have faith in my work. I have faith in myself as a writer and believe that this is what I am here to do. I believe that I can go from being here – with 10 books and mediocre sales – to there – with more books and sufficient sales.
Ultimately, of course, being a best-seller would rock. But I would like to be a consistent seller, and have my books earn me enough money to be my main source of income.
But when it comes to people buying my books and giving them good reviews, that’s a matter of faith. And I have that faith since I believe that this is my purpose, my talent, and this is happening.
What IS in my control? Advertising, sales, promotions, and efforts of that nature. I can choose to run an ad on Facebook or Amazon, pay for marketing assistance, and do all I can to put myself out there to be discovered and received.
Hence, I control what I share, where, and how – as well as any money I decide to spend on advertising and promoting my work.
Much as I would love to spend $0 on this – that is, I’ve found, a sign of a lack of faith in the work. Which rather defeats the purpose. Hence – effort is put into this since it’s entirely in my control.
Here and there together, now
One of the largest challenges of this, for me, to bridge here and there, is mindfulness.
Mindfulness is conscious awareness of what you are thinking and feeling. It’s knowledge, in the moment, of what your inner being – your mindset/headspace/psyche self – is attending to. It’s not vague and neglected – it’s certain and deliberate.
Mindfulness is something everyone practices from time to time. But the more we actively practice it, the more it opens us to be present and consciously aware of everything.
When I am more mindful, I am more present. Or, in other words, I am more here. Being here is how I can see the lines between what I can control and where I need to have faith.
But conscious reality creation – which I know is something everyone is capable of – explains that here and there must be one. Rather than seeing them as separate – here being now, and there being later – they are one and the same.
This might seem like hooky-spooky mumbo-jumbo. But it’s not. Why? Because when you are here, see where you are at and be consciously aware of that, you can see how that will look when you get to there. With that vision, you can visualize there as being here.
Yes, a lot of the self-help gurus suggest this. But there are also psychologists, doctors, philosophers, and other scientists who will vouch for this practice. Ergo, here and there are together as one.
To bridge these ideas, conscious awareness of your inner being – your mindset/headspace/psyche self – is the key. To gain this you have your six senses, in combination with your thoughts, feelings, actions, and intentions.
In my experience, recognizing, acknowledging, and working with this is the key to lessening the space between here and there.
Relieving feeling disconcerted between here and there
Finally, it’s important to not allow that sense of perturbance to be dominant. The confusion inherent in it can take your mind off both here and there in undesirable ways.
What do I mean? When you are here, and looking “ahead” to a there, questions are inevitable. What am I doing? Am I sane aiming for this? Is this a terrible idea? Who the hell do I think I am? And other similar, negative questions may arise.
That, in turn, might turn your focus to past errors, missteps, screw-ups, and similar unpleasantness. Before you know it, you can’t see there from here because you are looking backward rather than forward.
It is impossible to go back and undo, redo, or change the past. It’s done, has passed us by, and all we can do is learn lessons from it. But when “there” is ahead of us – and we are here – we can find and/or create paths between these points.
When I feel the confusion and uncertainty inherent in the space between here and there, I work harder to see there as here, now. Putting more attention into my conscious awareness and being mindful opens me to find and/or create the there I desire to reach.
It is an imperfect practice. There are days it is harder than others. But for the most part, since I am in charge of my own destiny – this is amazing. I am not just here, existing and waiting to get there – I am here, living, and enjoying the paths I travel as such.
I am in charge and get to choose
When I feel disconcerted, finding and creating surety here and now is a great way to relieve that feeling.
Between here and there is only a great distance when that’s what you believe. I need to remember that. And keep on creating because I have faith in my process, skills, and abilities.
This is my life. Nobody else can live it for me. Nor would I want them to. I have lots of stories in my head – and believe one purpose I have here is to share them – and my process for creating them.
When I find the space between here and there disconcerting, I can use both what I control – and my faith – to reduce it and keep it manageable. I have this power – and so do you.
How far do you see the space between here and there, and how does that make you feel? What can and will you do with that?
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