Gather Your Support Team
Today I would love to shine a light on the importance of a support team. I couldn’t publish these books without the help of some amazing people. It takes time to surround yourself with people who are not afraid, to be honest with you, and can inspire you simultaneously.
One of the necessary skills you need to acquire as an author is to receive notes. Nobody is perfect; your story will need others to point out inconsistencies, or when it’s dragging, etc. If you have a traditional publisher, you will have an editor, but if you self-publish, it’s vital to find someone. It took me many years to find the right person for me. Once, someone gave me notes, and I wanted to jump off a bridge. Then, I received similar notes from someone else, which inspired me to start re-writing immediately!
My books have illustrations, and I’ve been lucky to find a friend and gifted artist Nicole Ruijgrok to do that. She invests an enormous amount of time, and it’s such a gift to work with another creative person; it’s motivating.
English is not my native language, and I have several layers of people who help me polish my drafts. First, I have a fantastic friend who does that, and later in the process, I have an editor.
And let’s remember the home team; our partners, family, and friends. I wouldn’t be at this point if it weren’t for my partner. He pushed me to get my books out there and be myself.
But writing is only part of your journey as an author; then the hard part starts for most of us as we’re generally not people who like to spend time promoting ourselves. We rather focus on writing the next novel. In these times, it’s crucial to show yourself on social media. Find a medium you like and go for it. There you will find that you have many friends that love to help you to get the word out there.
I’ve been lucky to win a Firebird Book Award and meet Pat Rullo. Her enthusiasm, easy to talk to manner, and the support she offers to upcoming authors are inspirational. An award gives you a chance to bring attention to your book. It helps you promote as people will take you more seriously, and an award enables you to stand out. I love that Pat donates the entry money to a good cause. I encourage everybody to enter!
As you can see, without all these people, I would not have been able to do what I love. I’m so grateful to all of them! So, I encourage you to gather your support team. Be bold and ask for help, learn to process critique, and remember to enjoy the ride.
