Receiving Inspiration

I am sure we have all heard about when “opportunity” knocks.  There are lots of old sayings about “opportunity knocking on your door.”  Well, what about “Inspiration”.  Sometimes inspiration knocks, and believe me, you better answer that knock!  It is at least as important, perhaps more important than when it is opportunity knocking.

How can it be more important?

When opportunity knocks, to me that basically means that you have come up with an idea to create something new, or somebody presents you with something that is an opportunity.  When opportunity knocks, that is a good thing, of course.  But, I think inspiration is even more important.

Maybe you are inspired to create an opportunity for yourself.  Maybe you are inspired to do something that will improve your marketing or sales ability.

I was inspired today

Over the weekend, I discovered a new writer on the Internet.  She is not a new writer, she has newly come to my attention.  Her name is Alexis Grant.  Alexis wrote an article entitled “Why You’re Failing to Make a Living as a Writer“.

While I am not failing to make a living as a writer, I am always looking for ways to improve my results, who would not be.  I found a lot of things on Alexis’ site that was inspiring to me and taught me things that I either did not know or had not thought about in some time and needed to focus on.  This is a good thing.

The article about why you are failing was particularly inspiring to me because one of the things that it talked about in some detail was pricing for eBooks.  I make a good percentage of my income from writing and selling eBooks.  Over the past couple of years, there is one particular person who has really berated me online because he thinks that my eBook prices are too high.  He has written, in fact, that anybody who sells an eBook for more than $2 is just ripping people off!

Well, when you are writing in a rather narrow niche that does not have the potential of tens of thousands of potential readers of your books, it is mighty difficult to make a living if you sell your books for $2 or less!

Alexis said some pretty powerful things on this topic. Here is a quote that I particularly liked:

Here’s what I’m getting at: it is NOT wrong to try to make a living from your art, to charge enough money that you can afford to create — so long as some people will actually pay what you’re asking. So stop feeling guilty about it!

Here is something ironic

Just as I read that passage that I quoted above, my computer made a little sound, which I knew meant that I had a new email that just came in.  So, I quickly checked what the email was all about.  It was from a person who had bought an ebook package from me last year.  He spent about $60 on this package of ebooks, and some people would consider that a lot of money to spend on eBooks.

When I read this customer’s email here is what he said:

How are you. Well I bought some of your books on how to move to philippines and one on obtaining a 13a visa. I followed your news letter and read many articles you wrote.

I am now living in the Philippines in Bicol. Wanted you to know the info you shared helped a lot. It really made things a lot easier. Glad we listen to your experience.

You literally saved me thousands of dollars, and dozens of hours through the information you provided!

Well… it sounds like the $60 or so that he spent was money that he considers well spent!  Having just read the quote from Alexis, then having this email come in was really confirmation.  Alexis’ article was already inspiring to me, but having this email follow up really drove her point home!

This weekend, I was really going over some thoughts and ideas about eBook marketing, pricing, and sales.  Alexis’ article really helped me focus and target my ideas in a way that I think will be very effective.  This email from my customer also confirmed for me that I am on the right path!