I've have many trips around the sun and I've yet to reach that 'get easy' stage in my writing career (or life for that matter). I've often started down a path and thought this is the 'it gets easy' road but I've found that it was another path of ...
I left my full-time job to live my dream of writing. Oh the dreams I had. Writing, eating doughnuts that never made me fat or effected my sugar, and napping (lots of naps). I was home for 2 weeks and along comes Charlie...
Now I know that plenty of moms do amazing jobs while working full time (and I did the first time around) but Charlie is a child of trauma. And the many many challenges that brings.... and the endless amount of joy makes it more complicated.
To start my shift from a full time employee the amazing world of full time writer, I began a fantasy series under my 'nice' pen name. It was a 3 book series!
I wrote it!!! I sold it!!! And the house went out of business :-( I wrote a couple steamy romance suspense - Sold them!!!! And the houses went out business :-(
So what do I do??? Give up and eat doughnuts - that would make my hips grow and do wicked (and not the good kind of wicked) things to my sugar? Nope...
I made a seriously scary decision and decided to self publish them....YIKES. Now I really need those doughnuts!
A Mermaid's Wish was my first book from beginning to end that I self published (the other ones had been previously published so it was just a matter of uploading them on Draft2Digital).
Man oh man is there so much to the self publishing thing...Where to get a cover???? I was to the point I was going to have Charlie draw me a picture. Then I found Lia Davis and she's much better than Charlie's coloring!
I had to find a content editor...
a line editor... my eye is twitching still thinking about it.
I wouldn't say that it has gotten easier to self published but I'm a little more comfortable. So while I haven't ever stumbled on to the 'it get's easier' path, I have traveled the path of amazing dreams realized and over flowing with love.
3 comments:
Lyncee, I've circles the sun a few more times than you and the trick to "it get's easier" is to see the obstacles and challenges as fun learning experiences that keep us from being bored. Although for me, there are days when boredom would be welcomed.
Your love for that little boy shows here and in your FB posts as does his love for you. Stay Well!!! Sending cyber hugs.
Really, if it were easier what in the world would you do with your time? Donuts are not all they are cracked up to be. :)
I have a well-published writer friend (more than 150 books to his name) who has always said. It never gets easier. You just trade up your problems. In the beginning your problems are things like finding an editor, getting a good book cover. Then you trade up for marketing, selling more. Then you trade up for keeping up the writing in a series in order to keep that marketing working. Then you trade up for the amazing wonder of people loving your books AND demanding you write more and faster. Then you trade up for ...
There is always something more to learn, to do, to accomplish...unless you decide you are fine where you stand and unwilling to do more.
I've been trading up for problems in every career I've pursued, not the least of which can be mother, aunt, grandmother.
Congrats on figuring out the indie way and getting out A Mermaid's Wish. May this be only the beginning of trading up.
Lyncee, you have been on a roller coaster career. There is a huge learning curve in Indie publishing for sure! Congratulations on all your accomplishments, and a toast to your courage.
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