2012 Featured a Strong Finish

To say that 2012 was a big year for me as a writer would be a gross understatement. No matter what else may have happened in the past twelve months, this year I accomplished the biggest goal of my writing life so far--I published my first book.

I’m still in somewhat of a state of disbelief. Courting the King in Yellow was a story I had written over five years ago, and one that I wasn’t sure would ever see the light of day. But it’s out there now, in the wild. The past couple of months have been a blur, filled with excitement, disappointment and a ton of lessons that will not only make me a better writer in 2013, but will also inform how I approach publishing my next book.

Self-publishing is an amazing experience. You have a level of control over your creation that is unparalleled. You also have to do everything yourself, from choosing distribution channels, to marketing, to monitoring the market and adjusting your price point. Writing the book is really just the beginning, and this year I found out that writing a novel is a lot easier than getting anyone to care about it.

But here’s the thing--I love every part of it. I love that I get to share my story with other people now. I love that some folks have picked up the book and really enjoyed it. I love building my author platform and engaging with communities like Goodreads. Most of all though, I love spending so much time focusing on something I love. Writing has always been a hobby of mine, but making a go of being an author is something I have dreamed about for a long time. This is truly a case of enjoying the journey as opposed to worrying about the destination.

I began 2012 as a writer. I will begin 2013 as an author. Bring on the New Year!