It Took Me 30 Years to Learn This Secret

I have always given, but funnily enough, I gave out of fear.

If someone asked me for money, I would always put my hand in my pocket. If they didn’t ask, I would walk past without offering anything.

My thinking was that if someone asked, I had a choice of saying “yes” or “no”. If I gave them money, it meant I would always have money. If I said .no,. I was subconsciously attracting a lack of
money.

So it was the fear of having a lack of money that made me give.

Of course, although I was giving, it was always small amounts.

The Richard Webster Popular Fiction Award changed my life.

It developed from a slightly boozy lunch I had with some writer friends. We were bemoaning the fact that authors of popular fiction found it hard to get published and receive any recognition.

Writers of literary fiction received grants and other handouts to get their work published, but commercial writers received nothing. I announced that I’d launch an award, with a prize of $1,000. My friends laughed, and the conversation went to other things.

However, the thought stayed with me, and eventually I decided to go ahead with it. I must admit my motives were selfish. I thought that having an award with my name on it would increase my name and reputation, and that might help book sales.

I found a publisher who was prepared to publish the winning entry, and two years ago we launched it. I increased the first prize to $5,000, and added a second prize of $1,000. This seemed like a huge amount of money to give away.

To my pleasure, the award did increase my exposure, and I gave dozens of newspaper articles and radio interviews. I don’t think any author has ever sponsored an award for other authors before, and this made it newsworthy. I felt good about doing it, but didn’t expect any other benefits.

However, to my amazement, this award seemed to open a floodgate of money.

My book sales increased.

The foreign language rights sales to my books multiplied, and I received paid offers to speak all around the world.

My income, which comes entirely from my books, more than doubled in the first twelve months.

Naturally, I’m much more generous now than I used to be. I love giving money away. And the more I give away, the better off I become.

I wish I’d learned this secret thirty years ago.

Richard Webster lives in New Zealand and has written numerous books, including "Is Your Pet Psychic?" See his websites at www.psychic.co.nz and www.richardwebster.co.nz



“Act wealthy. Talk prosperously. Be a free avenue through which riches may pass to all. The world needs to learn the spiritual science of wealth, and your home can be a classroom.”
-- Annie Rix Militz, Both Riches and Honor