When I embarked on this book journey, I had completely closed my mind to the possibility of self-publishing. I limited myself to the traditional publishing process. I would search for an agent, submit my proposal, and believe I was one step closer to getting my book out there. I repeated the process over and over again. The truth is, I have lost count of the number of agents and publishing houses I have contacted. Read numerous blogs on how to write an eye-catching proposal. I am not a person to give up easily, but this process has tested my resilience and resolve. As the culture is one of no feedback, one is left to assume that the manuscript wasn't the best fit or the proposal was crap, or both.
I think I was snobbish in thinking that traditional publishing was the holy grail of publishing. Misguided, thinking that my credibility was dependent on it. As I research authors who have gone the Indie route, I see how capable they are of hiring the right people to edit their work and bring it to the tactile stage of a book in hand. I admire them greatly. I take my hat off to them. They are brave, entrepreneurial and creative beyond belief. They are steering their ship and ensuring their work reaches the reader, come hell or high water. I want to have that kind of courage, capability and conviction.
There are times, as I edge forward, that I am reminded that I don't have that particular skill yet, or the local bookstore wouldn't recognise me if I rode in on a motorbike. How do I ask them to support me? Something tells me that this place of discomfort is one step away from success. That I shouldn't be afraid to reach out despite my fear. Neither should you. Let's be brave together and try that one thing that is calling to us. Let's expand our thinking and 'Being' and become the best versions of ourselves.
A lovely client of mine recently quoted a powerful question from Mo Gawdat's book 'Solve for Happy': What's the best that can happen? So what's the best thing that can happen in your life when you choose personal strength over weakness, independence over subservience, and imagination over prescription? Holding your self-belief in the face of the 'not knowing' is vital to realising your dreams. In that space of no feedback, trust yourself, your work and the goal of reaching as many people as possible with your message. The worst thing that could happen might well turn out to be the best thing that ever happened.
Aintherese
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