What have I learnt about writing?

Apart from changing my life, growing as a person and finding something that I am passionate about, what have I actually learnt about becoming a published writer?

So far I have learnt…

It costs more than I expected.

I thought writing would be an inexpensive use of my free time. I didn’t need any other tools except my laptop, imagination and alone time.
WRONG – It started off like that, but once I knew I wanted to self-publish my work, I knew, I needed some expert help in doing that.
The biggest expense has to be editorial costs. Strategic publishing breaks down these costs into an average. The biggest cost for a writer is comprehensive editing at $3,500 to $ 4,000 USD. A comprehensive edit transformed my great story into the best possible version of my words, my voice there could ever be. I don’t regret paying out this type of money.
I learnt more from my editor about my writing and how to make it even better, than I could ever have known.
Don’t think that writing is an inexpensive vocation; it most certainly isn’t.
There is a lot of financial outlay before you can even recoup the costs; if you ever do, but it is worth it.

There is more to writing a book, than just writing a book.

So, I thought I could write a book and just self-publish it on kindle, well, I kind of did.
But now I realise there is way more to it than that.
There is the editing: both your editing and professional editing services; costly in both time and money.
Then there is the: proof reading, marketing, back blurb, front cover design, formatting the book with acknowledgements, chapters etc and formatting for kindle.
Now depending on the budget, depends how much of this you do or you pay someone else to do for you. Paying someone else makes it more professional! I decided to do my own social media content so I can use the money I have on my book.

Editing is the bane of my life.

I thought writing would be hard, it isn’t; editing my work when I have finished writing is.
It may take me 8 weeks to write a book, but it will take the same, if not longer to edit the work.
Be prepared for that.
Also, once the editor is finished with your work, they will send it back to you with their completed edits and comments for you to action. Once that is completed, you will then reread the whole thing again, send it back them and then reread it once more, when they send it back to you, completed.
Editing takes a long time and you will reread your book so many times you will get sick of it.

There is a lot of helpful advice on the internet.

I found my book cover designer by listening to her interview on a podcast; when I couldn’t find what I was looking for, from a generic search on the internet, over a few weeks.
I searched for a lot of information early on, which helped me greatly in sourcing editors and understanding the process to self-publishing and the tools available.
After a while, though, I found the information overwhelming, there are far too many experts out there, sharing helpful tips and advice, whilst I just didn’t have enough hours in the day to incorporate it all.
Rather than encouraging me to move forward, I started to doubt the quality of my work, because I didn’t do this or that.
I listened to how other authors worked or marketed their books and as a new writer it was too much; I was still at a learning and growing stage.
After a while I had to switch off and follow my own plan and what I could manage to do.

There is a lot of helpful advice on the internet but you don’t need to follow it all.

It has made me face my fears.

Sending my work to an editor for the first time was terrifying.
I really felt it wouldn’t be good enough, even though I had spent months on it.
I believed they would send my work back to me refusing to work on it, even though I was paying them. Thankfully this didn’t happen.

Marketing in the guise of Social Media was a stumbling block that took me months, literally months to overcome.
I had set up my website with a word press theme and that was it. I had no clue how to use social media for business, but that wasn’t what frightened me most.
I knew I could learn what I needed to do, but what I didn’t have was a voice. What did I have to share with anyone else? What did I have to say?
I finally went on a half day workshop which made me address my fears. I realised I had to bite the bullet and do something, else I never would. I decided to utilise the resources I had.

I live in a beautiful area, so I used my photos as a back drop for thoughts and commentary on what I had been doing. Somehow, I came to the conclusion, that although I wasn’t an expert, I could share my writing journey with others. What I think, feel and have learnt about the whole the process until I am ready to publish.
It has evolved through time and I have a format now, that I use each week for my social media content.

And lastly… it’s addictive

Since I have started on this writing journey, my skills as a writer have improved tremendously.
I am able to write better and more fluidity than ever before.
Thoughts, ideas and poems always come to me and sometimes it’s hard to shut my mind off.
It’s like I have given my mind creative licence and it throws everything and anything my way. My writing has evolved and I surprise myself sometimes with the quality of what I produce.
Reflecting on where I started, to where I am today, I know there is no way I want to stop; creativity is a beautiful expression of oneself.

I still haven’t published my book yet… so I guess I will be adding more to this list in the future.