Hello, readers and writers!
Last week I shared some of my experience in self-publishing my second novel. There are positives and negatives to whether you publish on your own or by using a traditional platform, and so far I have been experiencing the self-publishing life. I’ve subjected myself to this field because I wanted total control of my art. I didn’t want to have to change it for anyone besides cleaning it up and making it the best it can be.
I didn’t want someone from the outside looking in and telling me to change character names, settings, scenes, and more. I love gaining helpful critiques, but I didn’t want someone to take my work and make it their own because I’m the one who wrote it and put in all the time and effort. I’m the one with the story to tell, not the publisher.
So far it has been a tough road, but I do enjoy writing and producing content. I enjoy creating something I would love to read and sharing it with others in the hopes they will love it as much as I do, and some of that hope and expectations can come up short in the early stages of writing and publishing.
In this part of sharing my experience with you all, I will cover:
My Expectations vs. The Reality
I have high expectations for my writing because it’s something I want to do with my life. I’m not playing around or testing it out. This isn’t a hobby. This is something I wish to do with my life, so I take it very seriously, and sometimes that ends up leading to expectations that are beyond reasonable right now.
I spent money on Escape. So many other authors out there talked about how crucial it was for me to spend money on an editor, some beta-readers, and cover designs. I created my cover on my own, and I paid for a professional editor, but that didn’t really change the outcome of my sales, at all. So far No Expectations did better because my family was shocked and excited that I released something. Most of them didn’t even know I was a writer.
Now that I’ve released my second novel, the newness of my writing career has gone, and I’ve realized friends and family don’t want to buy it just to buy it. They’re not my readers. They’re not my audience. They’re my family and friends, and that’s fine. I would not and do not expect anyone to spend money on something they won’t use, so if they aren’t going to read it, don’t worry about spending money on it.
The issue and reality have now become focusing on readers and an audience. I’m trying. I’m putting in the effort. I’m doing all the right things, but it just comes down to time. Releasing two novels won’t suddenly make me shoot to #1, and I shouldn’t expect it to either. I should write and release because I want to, and the results will eventually come with time if I keep being passionate about what I write.
I am:
- Very young
- A new author
- Still very busy with school
- And relatively unknown to the romance world
I can work to improve those things and ensure I’ll have more success in the future, but I need to stand back and appreciate the accomplishments I’ve made so far, even if it didn’t meet my otherworldly expectations. I just have to keep going and look forward to my next release.
Thanks for reading!
For Part 1, click here!
Madison Diaz Writes 