Becoming a full time author (the story of my journey to writing full time)
TLDRIn this engaging video, the author shares her journey to becoming a full-time writer, YouTuber, and mother. She reflects on her initial struggles, the growth of her career, and the challenges of balancing her passions with family life. From her debut novel in 2017 to publishing 14 books and winning the Minnesota Author Award, she details her experiences with self-publishing, marketing, and the creative process. With plans for future projects and a focus on managing her time as a new mom, she remains committed to her craft and shares her hopes for the coming years.
Takeaways
- 📚 The author's journey began with completing a full draft during NaNoWriMo in November 2016.
- 🚀 The author was laid off in late 2016, which led to the decision to pursue self-employment and writing full-time.
- 📈 The author's first year of official writing resulted in no publications, but by 2019, five books were published.
- 📖 As of the video, the author has published 14 books and has been self-employed for almost six years.
- 🎥 The author started a YouTube channel in December 2017, focusing on writing and author-related content.
- 📝 The author used Kickstarter as a way to gauge interest in their work before fully committing to self-publishing.
- 📔 The author's debut novel was published in 2017, and they have since published a mix of fiction and non-fiction books.
- 🏆 In 2020, the author won the Minnesota Author Award for 'The Stolen Kingdom'.
- 👶 The author became a mother in 2021, which has impacted their work schedule and priorities.
- 📅 The author's goals for 2022 include focusing on book writing and YouTube content, while managing time as a new parent.
- 📘 The author plans to publish a compilation book of a new series and a non-fiction book on self-publishing within the next year.
Q & A
What was the author's first experience with completing a full draft of a book?
-The author's first experience with completing a full draft of a book was during November of 2016, which was part of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo).
How did the author transition from a full-time job to becoming a full-time author and YouTuber?
-The author was laid off from her job and used the three months' severance pay as an opportunity to pursue her passion for writing and self-employment, with the support of her self-employed husband.
What was the author's first published book and when was it published?
-The author's first published book was her debut novel, which was published in 2017.
How many books has the author published since she began publishing?
-As of the time of the video, the author has published 14 books.
What was the author's strategy for determining if she should pursue a career as an author?
-The author used a Kickstarter campaign to gauge interest in her work, aiming to get 100 people to buy her book as a sign that she should pursue writing full-time.
What significant event happened in the author's life in 2020 that affected her work schedule?
-In 2020, the author experienced the worst year of her life for personal reasons, which she does not detail, but it led to a more intense work schedule and a focus on a single book.
What was the turning point in the author's career in terms of book sales?
-The turning point in the author's career was in 2019 when she sold over a thousand copies of 'The Stolen Kingdom' on release, which was her first time achieving such sales.
How has the author's approach to publishing changed over the years?
-The author initially published exclusively on Amazon through Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), but her approach evolved to include a wider range of formats and platforms, such as hardcovers and audiobooks.
What are the author's goals for her writing career in 2022 and beyond?
-The author's goals include focusing on writing books and creating YouTube content, managing her time as a new mother, and publishing a new series called 'The Queen's Rise' as well as a non-fiction book on self-publishing.
What was the author's reaction to the birth of her child and how has it affected her work?
-The author found that her memory and time management have been affected since becoming a mother, leading her to prioritize her work and guard her time more carefully.
Outlines
📚 Author's Journey and Writing Beginnings
The author shares her journey to becoming a full-time writer, detailing her initial struggles and the growth of her career. She mentions her first year of official writing, the birth of her debut novel in 2017, and the subsequent years of publishing multiple books. She also discusses her experiences with self-publishing, including the learning curve and the use of Kickstarter for her debut novel. The author reflects on her transition from a corporate job to self-employment and the challenges of balancing her passion for writing with her new role as a mother.
🚀 Launching a Writing Career
The author delves into the specifics of her self-publishing journey, including the challenges of finding beta readers, critique partners, and an editor. She discusses her decision to self-publish and her lack of experience with traditional publishing. The author also shares her strategy of using Kickstarter to gauge interest in her work and her initial success with it. She talks about starting her YouTube channel, her experiences with cover design, and the importance of having a website for authors. The author also reflects on her college years and the discouragement she faced from a professor, which initially led her away from writing.
📈 Growth and Development in Writing
The author describes her growth as a writer, including her participation in the Wander Writer's Retreat and her first Barnes & Noble book signing. She discusses the development of her Patreon and the creation of her author website. The author outlines her work on the 'Stolen Kingdom' series, her marketing efforts, and her first experience selling over a thousand copies of a book. She also talks about her involvement in a book box subscription service and her participation in various book-related events, including BookCon and additional book signings.
📖 Publishing and Marketing Milestones
The author shares her experiences with publishing and marketing, including the challenges of pre-ordering books on Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing platform. She discusses the intense period of publishing 'The Cursed Hunter' and her first taste of burnout. The author also talks about her experiences with publishing hardcover editions of her books and her plans for future releases. She reflects on her 2020, which was a difficult year personally, but also a year of professional achievements, including winning the Minnesota Author Award and releasing an audiobook.
📚 Continuing the Writing Journey
The author discusses her continued work on the 'Marketing for Authors' series and the release of the final book in the 'Stolen Kingdom' series. She talks about her collaboration with Jessica Brody on a self-publishing course and the birth of her child, Zion. The author reflects on her focus in 2021, which included working on the course, publishing four books, and managing her time as a new mother. She also mentions her plans for future projects, including a new series and a how-to self-publish non-fiction book.
🎉 Future Goals and Aspirations
The author outlines her goals and hopes for the future, focusing on balancing her writing and YouTube career with her new role as a mother. She discusses her plans to publish a compilation book of her new series, 'The Queen's Rise,' and a how-to self-publish non-fiction book. The author also shares her intentions to return to the 'Stolen Kingdom' series and her desire to write more stories within that universe. She reflects on her five-year anniversary as a published author and her ongoing journey as a writer.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Author Journey
💡NaNoWriMo
💡Self-Publishing
💡Kickstarter
💡YouTuber
💡Burnout
💡Book Series
💡Marketing
💡Patreon
💡Parenting
💡Time Management
Highlights
The author shares her journey of becoming a full-time writer, YouTuber, and mother.
She created a spread in her bullet journal to track important dates and events in her author career.
Her debut novel was published in 2017 after a year of learning the ropes of self-publishing.
She used Kickstarter as a way to gauge interest in her work before fully committing to self-publishing.
The author started her YouTube channel in December 2017, focusing on her author journey and writing tips.
In 2018, she published two books, including a children's book and the second in her number series.
She attended her first writer's retreat, which led to lasting friendships and collaborations.
The author took a publishing course in 2019, which helped her sell over a thousand copies of 'The Stolen Kingdom'.
She experienced burnout in 2020 due to the intense pace of publishing and personal challenges.
Despite the challenges, she won the Minnesota Author Award for 'The Stolen Kingdom'.
In 2021, she co-created a self-publishing course and published four books.
The author has plans to publish a compilation book and a how-to self-publish guide in the future.
She is currently focusing on writing a new series, 'The Queen's Rise', while balancing motherhood.
The author emphasizes the importance of guarding her time and focusing on her priorities.
She plans to publish more books in the 'Stolen Kingdom' universe and explore new storylines.