on Book Marketing Buzz:

For over the past three decades, I have had the privilege to work in book publishing and marketing. Having worked with thousands of authors and spoken to multiples of that, I have heard many complaints by authors about being an author.

Can anything be done to help them?

Are the complaints legitimate — or are they just the whines of ignorance, laziness, jealousy, incompetence, and a lousy attitude?

Authors can certainly be the victims of bad luck, lousy publicists, poor timing, tough competition, a crappy publisher, or a change in the marketplace. But most often, they sabotage themselves or they fail to overcome challenges and setbacks.

Authors, it is time for Brooklyn Boot Camp.

I was born and raised in a time and place that has forever shaped me and informed me of how the world works. I grew up in gritty 1970s and 80s Brooklyn. My thinking leans towards being aggressive, acting with urgency, reaching beyond your means, questioning people’s motives, and working a little harder, longer, smarter, and differently than others do. Above all, whining and self-pity get parked at the door.

Seize your writing career and navigate your destiny!

Common complaints of authors include the following, but I say you must work around these obstacles: