A Dymond in the Rough: My Publishing Journey, Part II

In my last blog, I told you the story of how I began my publishing journey and the hurdles I encountered along the way. The story now continues:

Fast forward a few days after I dismissed the first recommendation of self-publishing. My soul sister was at it again:

You really need to check out Smashwords.

You just don’t realize how good you are.

Okay, that’s why I love her – she thinks I’m good no matter what trash I write. Yet, I insist on being honest with myself. I know my limits; I wouldn’t dream of publishing something in which I didn’t have confidence. Honestly though, at that point, I had seven books written that I felt confident were ready to be read and I was ready to try anything.

So, I did.

My second mistake: I should’ve done it sooner.

I bit the bullet and self-published Leather, Lace & Rock-n-Roll (SEALs, Inc. Book 1) on September 8, 2011, as a free book just to see what happened. It literally flew off the shelves and my reviews were honest and confidence-building. I uploaded Outspoken Angel (SEALs, Inc. Book 2) on September 19, 2011 and then Freaky by Nature (SEALs, Inc. Book 3) on October 18, 2011. By the end of October, 2011, I sold 4,754 books. Anything more than five was good for me.

To her credit, my cheerleader didn’t say I told you so.

Encouraged, I persevered. By October, 2012, I sold 144,080 books and in 2013, the numbers totaled 250,532.

I was shocked, to say the least.

My point of mentioning these figures is not to boast – believe me, many, MANY authors sell circles around me – but only to prove that if you work outside the norm once in a while, realizing your goal may be possible.

And I didn’t have a large publishing house behind me.

I owe my success to Mark Coker and Smashwords for not only providing me a publishing platform, but also the resources I needed to be successful. I am completely truthful when I say you will never find a more supportive environment.

There will always be nay-sayers and yes, negativity still stings, but I have learned that it’s okay not to accept negative opinions. It’s okay to follow your own rules and most importantly, your gut and your heart. Once you find self-satisfaction, you find true peace.

If you're entertaining the possibility of writing a novel or anything other written work for that matter, you might consider checking out these resources:

The Smart Author Podcast (I listen for free on Spotify)

Secrets to Ebook Publishing Success by Mark Coker

Smashwords Book Marketing Guide by Mark Coker

Smashwords Style Guide by Mark Coker

Have an AWESOME week!!

Mia

Thought for the week:

If you can't convince them, confuse them.