When Opportunity Knocks
It’s been an up-and-down year. Up, because I self-published my first novel in paperback on Amazon on March 1st and followed with the Ebook version on October 22nd. Down, because getting sales has proven far more difficult than I imagined. This author business is not for the faint of heart!
As I interacted with other authors, it became clear that the more books you have published under your name (I don’t use a pen name), the more it generates sales because you have multiple books a reader can choose from. If that reader loves one book, they will search to see what else you’ve written.
Okay, that’s throwing down a gauntlet which I eagerly picked up and planned a novel for National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWrimo), which is always in November. The goal is to write 50,000 words in 30 days and have the first draft of a novel when you’re finished.
October 31st, I received an unexpected email which reminded me of an application I put in during early summer. My application was accepted and the email notified me that, as an author in this amazing Christian historical romance fiction collection (35 books already), I had to pick my publication date and enter the title. The latest date available was three days from the end of April 2024. So, I came up with a title that met the requirements for the collection, chose the year in the 1800s, and immediately realized that after I completed NaNoWriMo, I would have to turn around and do it all over again, because I don’t have a lot of time for writing, revising, and editing.
Fast forward to yesterday when I successfully completed National Novel Writing month three days early. This has allowed me to take the next two days to catch up on some tasks that were neglected while I was under such a heavy writing deadline. The first is this blog post, followed by more social media posts to try and market Sister Lost, which is available on Amazon in both paperback and Kindle and on Books2read for all other Ebook platforms like Kobo, Apple Books, Nook, etc. Once I have completed those tasks, I will work on research and outlining the new novel under construction.
Beginning December 1st, I will set a goal to write 2,000 words per day on this new novel. The first draft must be completed by the end of December, which gives me two months for editing. I should be in good position to meet the rest of the deadlines after that.
What does it all mean? In 2024, I will have two books published, and that’s pretty exciting. By the end of next year, a book of poetry may also be published as well. That would tick off all the boxes next to the list I have written down, not as New Year’s resolutions, but as writing and publishing goals.
This is the life of a author and most don’t understand all the work that it takes. I hope this small glimpse into the process will give readers a deeper appreciation for every book that they read, and the authors of those books. The best way readers can support their favourite authors is: to post reviews of the books they’ve read on the site the book was ordered from and on Goodreads. Share your recommendations with your friends and family. Ask your local bookstore to carry it, if they don’t already. Ask your library to order the book and put it into circulation. Finally, the Holiday Season is fast approaching and books are a great gift to give and receive.
