When I set out writing my book, I wrote a mission statement. I had a focus on the kind of book I wanted to write. I had a prayer in my heart for what I hoped my finished book might accomplish.

My book, “You Don’t Have to Learn Everything the Hard Way—What I Wish Someone Had Told Me” has met most of the criteria for the success I wanted to experience.

First of all, I wanted to write it in a voice that young adults would be able to relate to. I didn’t want to sound like an adult trying to sound like a kid; I’m not a kid. There are lots of kids who, over the years, have wanted to hear my advice because of my experience. I remember as a teen being hungry to learn about growing into adulthood and not finding books that would address that for me. So I wrote the book I wish someone had written for me. I wrote it with respect and honesty, and in my real voice. Interestingly, I’ve had several criticisms—from adults—that the tone is not young enough. From my target market, the comments have been more like, “I felt like you were talking just to me.” Bingo. Success.

As I wrote and researched and spoke with young people, it became clear that there were sensitive topics which needed to be addressed, like sex, peer pressure, sexual abuse, and suicide. The heavy stuff. I knew that if the book got into the hands of kids, I had a chance to make a difference. While I wrote, and rewrote, and sent chapters out for peer review, I hoped and prayed that the words I used would represent the love and hope I poured into my words.
Finally, when kids started reading it I got great feedback, like from the girl who was in a new school and afraid she might not make new friends. She got the tips she needed and the confidence that friendships would come with time. My heart sang. The first time I got word someone used the resources in my book to ask for help (not suicide), I knew every minute and dime I spent on that project were worth it. The second time, when I heard from a psychologist that my book was “pivotal in the recovery of a young man who was suicidal,” my heart raced. You tell me if you’d feel successful if you got this email from a young girl:

“your book is very very helpful to me it is better then great!!!
it helped me realize that i can start over again
when i read your book i fellt very lucky to have this book!!!
i am so glad and thankful to god to have met such a kind caring person you took me out of bad thinkings of all sorts of bad abuse and brought me in to a world of joy wich i thought nobody cold do THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!”

While standing at the post office showing someone a copy of my book, the two teens in front of us turned around and one of them said, “You wrote that book!?! Our roommate talks about that book all the time, she loves it!” (There aren’t that many copies in print so that amazed me.) They even asked for my autograph for her.

So, how do we measure success? I have more marketing to do and more copies to sell (the last thing on my list was the numbers of copies sold. Oh, and Oprah!). I want to redo the book in larger print because there are way too many kids with reading challenges who are more comfortable with a bigger font. I’m working on getting the book on tape so non readers can have at it. I’m not done. But that’s all just logistics. For me, the measure of my success is the feedback that I’ve made a positive difference in the lives of some young people. This is exactly what I set out to do. And I’m not done.

Author of the best loved self help book for teens
“You Don’t Have to Learn Everything the Hard Way”
www.AuntLaya.com
tinyurl.com/92up5
www.auntlaya.blogspot.com/