20,000 Views, Zero Contract — My Reality Check As A New Writer

I started this journey with determination.

At the time, I wasn’t particularly skilled, but I believed I had something, maybe it was my story, maybe it was just persistence. Somehow, it worked. In less than a month, my book had already gathered over 20,000 views. It was even selected for “potential starlet” and similar categories.

Naturally, I thought I had made it.

Everything felt like it was falling into place so quickly. I believed success had come early.

Then I reached the required word count to apply for a contract, and I didn’t hesitate. I applied immediately.

And then… reality happened.

Do things really work out that easily?

A few working days later, I received the message.

My contract application was declined.

Not just declined, but with a blunt remark: “The book was not our style.”

That was it. No second chance. I couldn’t reapply with the same book.

That moment hit hard.

Still, I didn’t give up immediately. I took my book to other platforms, hoping for a different outcome. But this time, it wasn’t even considered.

Nothing.

Eventually, I gave up.

Looking back, I think it was my naive optimism crashing into reality. I lost my passion for writing for a while. What once felt exciting started to feel pointless.

But after a while, I found my way back.

After that period of frustration and growth, I began to understand something important:

Yes, LUCK exists.

But PROCESS, GROWTH, and SELF_DISCOVERY are far more valuable, even when they come with struggle and disappointment.

That experience changed how I see success.

So if you’re on a similar path: Be OPTIMISTIC, but don’t let RESULTS define your PASSION. Work on your craft. Embrace the process. Grow through the setbacks.

And most importantly.

Don’t give up…