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| Iffy Magic book trailer art |
Time to get real, folks. I recently tallied my grand total earnings as a self-published author . . . around $400 dollars. Not even close to clearing the cover art, illustration and other costs. And then there are all the years I invested into writing each book to consider.
Do I regret embarking on this journey? Absolutely . . . not! The experience has been both precious and painful.
Becoming a self-published author has forced me to confront so many personal limits, like my understanding of how to format, edit, and revise, and experiment with cultivating an online presence. I'm naturally an introvert, but I am working on branching out of my comfort zones, and learning from fabulous fellow writers. I joined SCBWI in 2018 and absolutely love my local chapter! I'm amazed at how much I glean from all of their different writing styles, and I deeply value their critiques of my work.
While I may continue the self-publishing route in the future, I'm currently getting projects ready to submit to agents and editors again. All my experiences have molded me into a very different writer from the girl who first sent out her stories on the sea of submissions. I really didn't understand the power of revision fifteen years ago, five years ago, even still today. I don't think I will EVER stop learning how to revise!
For in the wise words of Emily Dickinson, "We play at Paste till qualified, for Pearl."
