Veteran writer Donald Smith's unusual philosophy sprung from a radio broadcast he heard in the 1970s. The broadcast featured the idea of "positive thinking," one that Smith has spent his career as an author shunning.

The success of his slew of books - seven now - has led to national tours to include cities like New York, Miami, Baltimore, Cleveland, Chicago, Minneapolis, Atlanta and San Francisco where he appeared on radio and television interviews including Larry King's radio show in Miami, just before King became famous nationwide.

Smith has also written for the Wall Street Journal, Reader's Digest, the San Francisco Examiner and the Chicago Tribune.

His latest book "It's OK to Say No" was published in November by WindRiver Publishing.

Smith's success as an author is obvious, but it hasn't always come easily.

Still, he got lucky in his initial search for publishers. His first book, "How to Cure Yourself of Positive Thinking" was picked up by the first agent he solicited and Pocketbooks published it in 1976.

"Then I knew I was a nonfiction writer," said Smith, who until then had tooled with all kinds of writing, from essays to screenplays.

The decision to be a writer came early to Smith. "It's all I've ever wanted to do," he said.

Smith spent more than 20 years as an editor and editorial supervisor in the aerospace industry. He later taught various English courses in the continuing education department at Allan Hancock College.

Smith lives his life according to the principles his books preach.

"Learn how to say the word 'no,'" he said, summarizing the point of his most recent book.

Smith's way of thinking has helped him throughout life, he says, especially to build up sales resistance. "You don't need to make excuses," he said, commenting how people often feel they need to have a reason why they don't want to buy something or participate in something.

So who should read Smith's books?

"Anybody putting up with something he doesn't have to," said Smith, who is surprisingly anything but negative.

"The world is good," he said, explaining his philosophy. "Happiness is nothing more than the absence of unhappiness. So if it's hurting you, harming you, holding you back, get rid of it."

His philosophy has likely helped him survive the often-cutthroat publishing industry.

His advice for aspiring writers? "Keep trying," said Smith. "Don't quit."

Smith doles such advice out on a monthly basis, serving as chairman of a local writer's support group that meets at noon on the second Tuesday of every month at Cafe Monet, 1555 S. Broadway, in Santa Maria. All meetings are open to public. Rather than a group that critiques one another's work, Smith's group is a marketing group that shares advice on how to get a work published.

Smith typically submits drafts of his books, not yet in final form, to many publishers before a deal is made. "Nothing is for sure," he said, recognizing that the business of publishing never becomes routine.

Smith has also penned articles that have been published in prominent newspapers nationwide. His first book lead to that endeavor.

A year after "How To Cure Yourself of Positive Thinking" was published, an editor from the Wall Street Journal phoned him and asked him to write for them. He has since had 22 articles published in the Wall Street Journal and had also had contributed articles appear in Reader's Digest, the San Francisco Examiner and the Chicago Tribune.

When submitting articles, Smith usually sends editors completed articles that spring from his own creative imagination. Infrequently he is given an assignment.

Now 30 years into his writing career, Smith has found a new struggle: macular degeneration, an eye disease caused by the deterioration of the central portion of the retina.

"I keep going," Smith said. "I won't let it be a problem."

He uses a magnifying glass and an optelic machine that enlarges newspaper print, letters and memos to help him read and a word processor with a lighted screen to help him type.

He stopped driving in 1996, which was perhaps the most troubling thing to come from the disease. Still, not driving doesn't interfere with his craft, especially since the post office and copy center are in walking distance to his home.

"You just don't let it stop you," said Smith.

Smith certainly won't. His next book is likely a few query letters away.

"There's always an idea in my head," Smith said. "I live in a world of ideas."