Self Published Author: Finding & Following Inspiration

Sometimes inspiration is within you, but it takes others to help you see what you already have inside. I was fortunate to attend a free writers event in a local town advertised as being an event to help self published authors to learn about "marketing, pricing, scheduling events, and getting your book into bookstores". The event room was packed and after hearing from the panel the floor was open to questions for the panel. There were some great points mentioned including: the importance of having something on the spine, having a consistent font (multiple fonts can be annoying more than fun to a reader), for a writer with an idea for a novel to write 150 pages and that they will know if it is right or not by then (hopefully), and to focus on being a writer not just an author (meaning making sure a published work is quality work). Despite these great points I felt a sense of yearning across the room for more answers. As I listened and contributed a little I started to feel that I had more to offer than I realized before I walked in that room.

As an aspiring author I have spent countless hours researching many options; printers to publishers, marketing to pricing. Despite a bachelors degree in business management the last decade and a half since earning that degree has seen dramatic changes with the explosion of the internet and social media. Though the learning curve can feel considerable the basics of marketing still apply. It is a matter of gaining confidence with the various popular sites to easily navigate and use them to your advantage many times at no cost. While soaking up advice and questions I found myself wanting to share what I had learned. I felt like I could have answered a lot of questions or at least helped give more direction. Other than talking to people one on one afterward I did not want to be "that person" and talk to much uninvited during the event. As I move forward with my own project and am not yet officially a published author sometimes the thought of "but you do not have the experience to back up giving advice" creeps up and sometimes holds me back. However, when I choose not to listen to that voice I find incredible connections and a sense of excitement that seems to grow not only for me but also with the people I am brainstorming and sharing ideas. Believing that inner voice not only can hinder the inspiration of shared brainstorming but can also keep an author from following through on what road they think they need to take that may be an untraveled road but the best one for them. As with any other passion it is easy to get tunnel vision and once a work is complete it is hard to see the wider road that needs to be taken to take that work to market. As I work on finishing the process of bringing my work to market I hope to start helping others in a larger capacity see all the possible roads to their destinations.