I have tried to write this post countless times and each time I've stopped myself. It seems no matter what you say on the topic of self-publishing someone will get their panties in a huge twist. Why? Because no one is allowed to have an opinion. This is my personal experience, I am no expert and I do not claim to know it all.
So what have I learned after navigating the scary world of self-publishing? A whole hell of a lot. I'd never be able to condense what I've learned into one post and have it make any sense. But I will share a few things I feel are important to know.
There is this wonderful thing called mutual respect... Meaning I respect anyone who has written and published a book. It makes no difference to me whether it was through self-publishing or traditional. Because guess what, writing a book is a huge accomplishment. Say it loud and proud - I wrote a book damn it!
Google is your friend. If you don't know something search for the answer. Or ask your writing community. There are lots of blogs that are on the internet to help you. I had no clue what I was doing going into this and most days I still don't.
Not everyone is your friend...yes I mean that some people can't wait to see you screw up, because for some reason they think there aren't enough readers to go around. Not true there's room for all of us. Be patient.
Don't bully your fellow authors. Just don't plain and simple. It's NOT a competition. Getting caught up in ranks is an ugly thing in itself. Ask any writer who's published a book, they've been there.
Bad reviews are going to happen. If you aren't prepared for people to tell you that they didn't like your book, chances are you aren't ready to publish. Do they piss me off? Of course I'm human, it's in my nature to want to be accepted and have my work loved. Does it stop me from writing, learning and trying to improve my craft? Hell no!
Sel-publishing is not easy and it takes a lot of work- a lot. If someone says it's easy they are a liar. In my opinion of course...
Did I jump the gun and hit the publish button with my first book too soon? Yes I did because I didn't know what in the hell I was doing. Life is all about learning and growing.
I have so much more to tell you but I'll save that for another time. Next post I will talk about FaceBook etiquette. Yes there is such a thing... Shocking I know.
Remember this is my journey so it's not the same as anyone elses. It's mine. I don't expect you to agree with everything I said or go and adapt to doing things my way. I'm just a girl pursuing her dream and sending a piece of myself out into the world with each story I write. And in case I forgot to say it I'm indie and proud!
