It has been well said that an author who expects results from a first novel is in a position similar to that of a man who drops a rose petal down the Grand Canyon of Arizona and listens for the echo.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Expecting significant results from a first novel is as unlikely as hearing an echo from a single petal dropped in a canyon.
- In plain terms
- It is very hard to succeed with your first book because it is like shouting quietly in a big canyon.
- What can you take from it?
- Do not expect immediate success with your first creative work.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How do you handle low odds of success?
- What makes persistence worth it?
Another view
Some debut novels do succeed, though it is rare.
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