Ellen ES Ceely

I remember wondering what it would would be like to self-publish. Now I know. It’s been amazing and terrible all at the same time. I’ve both loved and hated every minute of the process. There have been times of extreme doubt and fear, but other times of joy I didn’t know was possible to feel.

What it’s like to self-publish: it’s lonely

There’s no way around this one. Self-publishing can be extremely lonely at times. The key to this is to find your tribe, your support team, the people who will tell you not to quit when you want to burn the whole thing down. My husband deserves the biggest shout out for his role in not letting me quit. I don’t know how many times I told him maybe my time would be better spent doing something else. He always told me to keep going. He believes in me and in my stories and he never let me quit.

I’m also blessed to have friends who’ve told me to keep going and a boss who supports my desire to write and publish. Though I go to them less than my husband, they always encourage me and never let me dwell on the “what if I fail” questions. They’ve made the journey less lonely, and I could not be more thankful.

Finally, there are my readers. The reviews that break my heart and make me cry (in good ways) have made any loneliness I’ve felt throughout the process totally worth it. The readers that message me directly on Patreon or via email or social media to tell me how much they’re enjoying my book make the loneliness fade into the distance.

Self-Publishing Tip

Find at least one person you love and trust who will always push you to pursue your dream, even if it means re-assessing how to accomplish that dream. There’s no magical timeline. You might need to slow down or speed up or just keep plodding along. Maybe you’ll need to reassess what your book needs for editing, cover design, blurb, etc. Whatever happens, make sure you find at least one person who will tell you not to give up.

What it’s like to self-publish: it’s exciting

This is also undeniable. I never knew I could be filled with so much dread and so much excitement all at the same time! There is nothing quite like the thrill of receiving the first draft of your cover design or finalizing the interior. I don’t have sufficient words for what it feels like to skim through your fourth proof copy and realize you’ve done everything within your power to make the book the best it can be.

The excitement can be overwhelming at times. I’ve stared into space, wondering if this is really my life or if I’m dreaming. I’ve daydreamed about unlikely possibilities of fame and fortune. Sometimes the excitement is so powerful I end up feeling numb because it’s just too much!

Self-Publishing Tip

Keep tally of success. If you’re just starting out it can be easy to see all the negative and difficult to see all the positive. Memorize your first week of sales. Hold a mini celebration when you hit a goal of followers on Social Media. Read and re-read the raving reviews that come in from people you’ve never met.

What it’s like to self-publish: it’s tiring

There’s so much to do and learn and think about when you self-publish. My mind swims whenever I think through all I need to finish, learn, and try. But looking back, I’m also so proud of how far I’ve come and amazed at how well things have gone. The tiring part is another reason it can be tempting to give up. After all, giving up would be so much easier.

There have been days and nights where I’ve stared at long lists of items to do and just frozen with anxiety at the thought of all that needs to be done. Self-publishing means you have a lot more things riding on you. It’s an incredibly freeing way to go in the publishing industry, but it’s also an overwhelming amount of work with seemingly unending “to-do” lists that get longer every day.

Self-Publishing Tip

Remember that rest is productive. With so many things to do and see and learn, it’s easy to become either overwhelmed to the point of not doing anything, or to work yourself into the ground. Rest is productive. Make sure you take time away from the self-publishing process to sleep, eat good food, have fun, and be creative. Do things that bring you life. Exercise, get outside, go to the bookstore, etc. Rest should not look like you fretting about all you must accomplish. It’s easy to think we’re resting when really we’re just worrying about the time we’re taking to rest. Try not to fall into this trap!

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