I'm writing to you today from sunny Yorkshire.
​
It's been a bit of a whirlwind week. The book release on Monday + full-time work + normal life + dipping toes back on some social media I'd almost abandoned.

I've felt [excited, thrilled, vulnerable, anxious, overwhelmed, knackered, full of beans, grateful] and everything in between.
​
It's made me think of how we can all ride the rollercoaster of life (inside our own heads) on a given week. Or day.

The Gap and the Gain by psychologist Dr Benjamin Hardy explores how often we are mentally 'here' but want to be 'there'. One of his concepts is to always measure backwards. Rather than against where you want to end up. Your ideals.
​
I found this old scribble but please ignore the terrible handwriting and read the book for the official version:

Measure against where you started rather than where you want to be. ^
​
​The challenge is that it's easier said than done.
​
I noted down 5 examples from this week where I've swung between the two:

1. I received my first bit of constructive criticism
Gap: They hate it! I thought everyone would love it. I was going to make the bestsellers...
​Gain: It's good people can be honest with me - maybe I can create something that helps them.
​
​Note - The feedback was about the early chapters being hard to get your head around due to lots of character and things in the world. A tricky one to get right. I've used a close POV in The Monkey State (you are inside Claude's head) and wanted to avoid info dumping. He already knows the world even if the reader doesn't. ​
​
​2. I got two 5* reviews on Amazon​
​Gap: I need at least 10 to look credible.
​Gain: I had zero reviews before - as there was nothing to review! Plus I am quite a slow reader/reviewer so can't say anything. The two reviews were brilliant and mean a lot. Word of mouth will take time so why not enjoy the ride?
​
​Note - Part of me is looking forward to getting my first 'bad' review. Bring it on. Although hopefully not from someone here haha. ​
​
​3. I got 88 orders + 6 pre-orders​
​Gain: Wow. My book wasn't even in the wild this time last week. A lot of people have spent £7.99 to take a chance on the monkeys*. I've done almost no marketing. I'm flying by the seat of my pants too.
​Gap: I would've loved to get 100 on launch week.
​
​*Note - The royalties on these end up being around £0.50-£2.00 per copy, with no indication of when that gets paid, so I won't be buying my private rainforest reserve just yet. You can read my previous emails, including one on Amazon pricing, if interested in learning more. ​
​
​4. I received a load of kind comments​
​Gap: A few people haven't said anything yet. Why?
​Gain: It's blown me away to get such positive, wide ranging and wildly spontaneous support (even a monkey inspired short story and ebook). Thank you ever so much.
​
​Note - The gap on this one is definitely not one I'm proud admitting. I've bopped those thoughts away when they've arisen. Just because something's important in my world doesn't mean it will be in others. We're all busy. I won't hold a grudge. Promise 😉​
​
​5. I haven't got a sale yet from my pay-per-click (PPC) advertising​
​Gap: Paid advertising is a waste of time. Amazon are crooks.
​Gain: I can now navigate my way around the Amazon Ads platform. I've never done a paid ad before. I can see how this will link with my work at Swoop. It's an intriguing world. Thank you, J, for the Friday intro session—even if it was late in the day!
​
​Note - Still not sure I have a clue what I'm doing here. ​
​
This is in danger of becoming an essay so I'll round it out there. I'll be trying to put my energy into the gains next week. Most of the time anyway. We're all human 🐵
​
​I wonder if you can see how this applies with your own projects and lives? Are you stuck in the gap when you could see a gain?

There is a difference between this and 'positive thinking' by the way but that's one for another time...
​
Hang comfy,
​— J. R. Roberts​
​
​P.S. I'd be remiss not to share a link to The Monkey State here. Could you be the one to push it over 100? I'm also plotting a pay day promo on the ebook version so will see how that goes.