IWSG Chronicles

The Chronicles of Self-Publishing

In another one of my blogs, Going off Dreams: the journey, I had written about the "Adventures of a Self-Published Author" and generated a top 10 list of attributes that any self-publishing writers should know. This also helped me to understand the mistakes I have made, to keep them in mind as I'm editing book #2 (For All In The Hope). For me, it has been a huge learning experience!

What has been the one thing that you wish you would have known before you published your first piece of work?

What's On My Mind:

As I look back on the past month, there are a couple things that are on my mind and I could use
some guidance or advice.  So, marketing myself has not been an easy avenue for me. I try to read every article I come across about how to market myself and promote my work (this is how I started blogging). The learning curve has curved around to bite me (where the Good Lord split me) a couple times. Joining social groups that are geared for authors, to promote our writing, to connect with our readers, and to participate and learn from one another. I really do like the groups where you can put your work out there, if the group members aren't interested they can just choose to ignore the post - no biggie, right? Wrong!

I'll admit, while I didn't read through every disclaimer and group rules (I'm a rule breaker, so I guess that is where I challenge authority? lol) When I read that we could share our work, that gave me the green-light to do so. So, why am I being told not to spam? Granted the definition alone is sending a message to a large number of on-line recipients - but, isn't that marketing and promoting?


Swallowing my dignity and what's left of my pride, I apologized for my inexperience, and clicked to leave the group. Looking back now, I still feel that I made the right choice. Probably, should have known better for this particular "group" - which consisted primarily of one person (the moderator) posting trying to (unsuccessfully) start group discussions. Maybe she just liked talking to herself? Because, when you bite the heads off of people trying to join your group (for no good reason), you'll be the only member... but, then again - maybe that's what she wants. Who knows!

What's On The Docket

Still going through my first draft of the second book. I've submitted two portions of it for editing, so I look forward to getting that back and reading the suggestions. I also love, when I am going through my original writing to change something here and there, and then it all just clicks! It makes me feel like my characters and story matters is some proverbial way. I did receive some very useful advice this past month from fellow writers about the challenges that we are faced with when trying to motivate ourselves to continue writing. This happens to me all the time. I

love writing and going through the processes, but then I hit these bumps where if I am not getting any feedback or no sales for the day, triggers my distorted thought patterns to believe that I am not good enough and other such nonsense. The advice that continues to drive me forward, came from within one of the aforementioned social groups. He mentioned that the characters we create become our responsibility, we are responsible for them, and if we don't write about them then we are neglecting them. I want to post this above my desk, along with another great tip: write because you want to tell the story, not to please anyone else (something along those lines).

What helps you when you are faced with writing challenges?