Writer Journey
My writer journey has been quite the shocker. I went from having published articles in my home country’s local newspaper, to having my published books available internationally, including on the shelves in supermarkets and bookstores.
Just a Hobby
I must confess that when I started on this journey, I did not take my writing seriously, and that is my regret.
But how could I? There were teachers and family members saying, “writers don’t make much money. Do journalism instead.” So, I took their advice and I pursued my Bachelor of Arts degree in Media and Communication, followed by my Masters degree in Communication for Social and Behaviour Change. But through it all, journalism just wasn’t the creative writing that I enjoy. Nonetheless, I figured my creative writing pursuits would just be a hobby.
Big Wide World of TV, Radio, Press and Book Fairs
When I wrote my first book, I thought, okay, I will bare my soul, and just get my bottled up inspiration out on paper. I thought, maybe the bookstores will take some copies, and friends will purchase as well. But things spiraled very quickly. First came my name and books splashed all over the Internet, on various book marketing websites, such as barnesandnoble.com, goodreads, scribd, and more. Then came radio, television and newspaper interviews. Then I was onto local book fairs and YouTube videos. Looking back, while my high school and university days of being featured in the local newspapers felt pretty cool, none of that gave me the expectancy of one day becoming recognized as an author in my new overseas home.
Dream Big
I have learnt many lessons along the way, after making many mistakes. It is for that reason, I have spent the last three plus years working on and constantly improving my latest project, Meet the Imaginative Joe Dreamer, which will soon be in people’s homes, and on their bookshelves.
Now I know that possibilities are endless, so I no longer think small. Whatever wasn’t done properly in the beginning, I will go back and rebrand, and whatever I do going forward, will be done with great care and great expectation.
Now I learn all I can and try new things. One of my latest moves is joining Author Marketing Club as a member, which provides me with very useful author resources to help me on my writer path. I can’t change the past, but I can certainly move forward and improve my writer experience and success.
Feel free to leave me a comment below. Maybe share your own journey.
Cheers,
Karlene