Missed Opportunities
Not every opportunity is worth pursuing, and not every opportunity you decline is a mistake.
You Should Probably Kick Yourself
When we look back at opportunities we passed on, it’s easy to start beating ourselves up.
“That was the one.”
“I should have said yes.”
“I missed my chance.”
Most of us have had that reaction. We see someone else’s success and immediately assume we made a terrible mistake. The problem is that hindsight is perfect. At the time, you made the decision with the information you had available.
Before you start kicking yourself, ask whether it was actually a missed opportunity or simply a different path. Those are not always the same thing.
Don’t Beat Yourself Up. Analyze Instead.
Rather than dwelling on what might have been, take a close look at what the opportunity actually looked like.
A lot of authors get invited into anthologies, shared worlds, collaborations, or projects in someone else’s universe. Those invitations are usually a compliment. They mean somebody sees you as a capable storyteller. That’s worth appreciating.
The real question is whether the opportunity fitted where you were in your career. I’ve participated in anthologies because I wanted exposure to other authors’ readers. I’ve written stories that never earned me a dime because the anthology didn’t sell. That’s okay. I knew what I was trying to get from it. The lesson isn’t whether it succeeded or failed. The lesson is understanding why you said yes or no in the first place.
Risk Versus Reward
Every opportunity has a cost.
The cost might be money, but for most authors it’s time. Time is the one resource you never get back. If you say yes to one project, you’re saying no to something else.
Writing in someone else’s universe is a good example. I’ve done it a few times, and it can be enjoyable. But generally speaking, those stories don’t bring readers into my worlds. They help someone else’s brand more than they help mine. That doesn’t make them bad opportunities. It just means you need to understand the trade-off before committing.
Ask yourself a simple question: What am I risking, and what am I realistically gaining in return?
Consider the Investment
Every project requires an investment.
Sometimes it’s only a day or two. I can write a short story fairly quickly, so for me the time investment may be relatively small. For another writer, that same project could consume weeks.
The important thing is to understand the true cost. Will you need to study another author’s universe? Will you need to promote the project? Will you be expected to contribute marketing efforts after publication? These are all investments.
At this stage of my career, I often ask, “What are you going to do for me?” That isn’t arrogance. It’s business. If I’m investing my time, I need to understand what value comes back in return. New readers? Strong relationships? Industry connections? All of those can be worthwhile if they’re genuine.
Does It Fit Your Business Strategy?
This is the question that matters most.
A lot of writers say, “I want to sell a million books.” That’s a goal, not a strategy. Your strategy is how you get there. What genre are you writing? How many books are you producing? Where are you advertising? How are you attracting and retaining readers?
Every opportunity should be measured against that strategy.
Anthologies, collaborations, conferences, conventions, and joint ventures can all be valuable. But only if they move you closer to your goals. If they pull you away from writing the books that build your brand, then they may not be opportunities at all. They may simply be distractions wearing opportunity’s clothes.
Final Thought
Not every opportunity is worth pursuing, and not every opportunity you decline is a mistake.
Instead of focusing on what you missed, focus on what you learned. Evaluate the risk, the reward, the time investment, and how well the opportunity fits your long-term business strategy. Sometimes the right answer is yes. Sometimes the right answer is no.
The key is to make that decision intentionally.
A missed opportunity should teach you something about the next one. That’s how you improve your judgment, strengthen your business, and make better decisions moving forward.
Missed Opportunities — Original Medium Article
Missed Opportunities — Over 1000 Five Minute Focus videos on the Successful Indie Author YouTube Channel
Successful Indie Author articles are created from reworking the original Five Minute Focus video transcripts obtained through HappyScribe. The final drafts are edited in Prowritingaid.
Author Sprints for Maximum Productivity — Sprint Your Way to Becoming a Successful Indie Author
SIA Writing Challenge website — Record Your Progress on Your Way to Becoming a Successful Indie Author
Craig Martelle is an author, leader, and entrepreneur living in Alaska. Retired from the Marine Corps military intelligence community and physical security, he graduated summa cum laude from law school and went into business consulting. From intelligence, to the inner workings of company boardrooms, to on-the-ground leadership, Craig has seen it firsthand.
He is a million-selling author of over 200 science fiction (post-apocalyptic, military sci-fi, and space opera), thrillers, and the non-fiction series, Successful Indie Author. Craig has been running author conferences since 2017, and also the Successful Indie Author Facebook Group, and the Successful Indie Author YouTube Channel.
Leadership is a service, not a crown to lord over others.