So having written my first book - 'Heart of Wrath' - well it was one long book of about 1,000 pages but now it is three books roughly of equal length. 'A Just Revenge' and 'A False Liberty' complete the first trilogy of World War Two novels that are based on fact but are fiction. I think it is well written, entertaining and educational - the three main attributes that I look for in a historical novel so I thought it was time to commence my journey on this path - self publishing my first novel - one that appears extremely well travelled these day but still very easy to get lost at the one of many intersections that one will cross if you too decide to venture along this daunting journey.
I read somewhere that over a million books a year are published - most of them self published so for us budding authors who want to join this burgeoning group of mostly underpaid and under appreciated hard working scribblers it will be like pushing the proverbial boulder up the hill so be prepared for many set backs and sore backs as the difficult journey takes longer and longer.
I knew self publishing my first novel was going to be harder than the actual writing of the book as I love to write and I am more of follower than an influencer on social networks which I saw as the largest single barricade blocking my path to self publishing my first novel. Stubbornly I refuse to let the unknown prevent me from following my dreams which are now firmly focused on self publishing my first novel so I flicked the mental switch and I am now about to begin putting myself out there on the ether for all to see, comment and critique.
This is the first blog of the journey of exposure on social media which will hopefully bring readers into my sphere so that they are aware of my writings and with even more hope choose to join my mailing list or subscribe to my newsletter so they can be kept abreast of my future writing.
The process of turning off the introvert filter to become an online extrovert is simple if like Joe Rogan you simply ignore all the comments but that is not what writers do. They need critical feedback to improve their writing styles and their plots so be prepared for some negative feedback and potential reviews because as the saying goes 'you can't please all the people all the time'. This is a great mantra to live and to write by. I think the best way to start on this self publishing journey is to be yourself.
If you are happy in your skin, and it is relatively thick, then just go for it! It seems everyone else does and who cares if some people don't like your work? You shouldn't. If someone likes your work and offers you some helpful, polite suggestions then they have taken some time out of their lives to help you and that means despite the potential of being cruel to be kind they actually like your work enough to suggest improvements, rightly or wrongly.
So take a concrete pill or three and place that first step on the path to self publishing with the knowledge that it will take time as with all new jobs, as that is what it is - self publishing is self-marketing - your baby steps will stake some forward and some back but as you learn you will grow and with that grow your audience will too and one day you or I might actually sell a book. And from one rain drop the rivers grow that fill the oceans that cover our world and so I wish you all the success in your journey to self publishing your first novel.
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