Netflix, Youtube,
Instagram – never before has there been so much competition for
books. Not surprisingly, the number of readers is constantly falling.
6 million less since 2012, just in Germany! So to be in the book
business in the year 2019, you have to be either very courageous or
very stupid.
Courage is
knowing it might hurt, but doing it anyway.
Stupidity
is the same.
And that's
why life is hard.
(Jeremy
Goldberg)
In 2005, I decided to
write a book. For no other reason but wanting to write a book. Why
not? I finished it, and it was pretty crap. The following year I
wrote another one, didn't finish it. Then, in 2007, I wrote another
one. I liked it and decided to publish it, despite
being called a stupid time-waster. I don't know if it
was a courageous act, but at least to me, it didn't seem stupid. I
just did it anyway, why not?
Today, this book
(including its three sequels) has sold over 200,000 copies and has
been published in six countries. The book is called THE LITTLE
BUDDHA. Not about the Buddha, nor about Buddhism, it tells
stories about life, viewed through the eyes of a young traveller. In
Germany and Austria, it's been a bestseller for the last six years,
there are editions in India and Korea, and Russia is knocking on the
door too. Furthermore, the first two parts were just released in the UK
by Ammonite press, with amazing new illustrations by Kate Chesterton.
Looking at the current
success, two things are easily overlooked. 1) I didn't just jump from
'stupid-guy-trying-to-write-a-book' to 'global-bestselling-author'.
It was a difficult journey. And it still is. 2) Just because I wrote
a bestseller, doesn't mean I can relax and drink champagne all day.
With each new book, I still have to work hard and hope to find a
merciful publisher. And not only that. If you buy one of my books for
ten Euros, I get about fifty cents on average. Industry standard. I
feel very privileged and grateful that I can make a living as a
writer, but if you think I'm rich, well, do your own maths.
'Money is not everything'
– a ridiculously simplified and totally overused phrase! And yet,
there's a lot of truth in it. But this truth is so simple that we
often fail to give it its deserved attention. Like many of those
simple truths. Living in the moment, accepting change, sharing love.
One of my favourite
reviews of The Little Buddha came from a good friend of mine. His
summary: “It's basically spirituality for dummies.” It was a very
honest and authentic comment, and it is true. The only question is,
who isn't a dummy? Because really, we are all dumb sometimes.
Thinking stupid things, doing stupid things and making the same
stupid mistakes again and again. We often assume we know all life
wisdom, but we don't. Or least we don't apply it.
Over the years, I received
lots of messages from readers. Many told me that the books helped
them during hard times; depressions were lifted, families healed and
souls inspired. Some found new meaning in life, others were happy to
find old answers. All of these messages mean a lot to me, because
they are proof that the payment for my work doesn't only consist of
money. Apart from hard cash, I'm also being paid with gratitude, love
and the priceless feeling of making a difference.
The Little Buddha has
become a really good friend. Every two years or so, I sit down with
him, decide on a trip and set off. We travel to mountains and
deserts, past rivers and through woods; we meet people on our way,
beautiful ones and strange ones, like the generous chef, the blind
witch or the crazy clairvoyant. We ask questions and sometimes we
find answers. The first journey was all about FINDING HAPPINESS, then
we were LOOKING FOR LOVE and learned about EMBRACING CHANGE. This
year we were EXPLORING TIME, and the next trip will take us
to...we'll see.
The first part of The
Little Buddha is dedicated to friendship. I wrote it for my friends,
not knowing at the time that the act of writing would create a new
friend. A very special friend who keeps reminding me of the little
life treasures that I keep forgetting. Someone who shows me with kind
and simple words how vast my stupidity is, each time I don't learn my
lesson, or each time I treat the beautiful gift of existence like an
annoying ordeal. Life ain't that difficult. We make it
difficult.
Long story short: Thank
you, dear old friend aka THE LITTLE BUDDHA.
Facebook @ thelittlebuddha
Instagram @ the.little.buddha
